Me, a Quarter Quell, and My Stupid Life
by SilverAquaTrident
Summary: My name is Haymitch Abernathy. You know, that annoying drunk who reeks of liquor fumes and can't attend a public event for fifteen minutes without passing out. Everyone thinks I'm just this shallow slob who does nothing but drink. I am more than that. I once had a decent life, but the Hunger Games turned my world upside down. Here is my story. T for Haymitchness.
1. Kicking Honey Butt

**CHAPTER 1: Kicking Honey Butt**

**A/N: Oh hello there! It's me, PP12, and I'm here with my very first chapter of _Me, a Quarter Quell, and My Stupid Life!_ I have nothing to do this summer, so expect updates every 1-2 days. I'm an amateur, so please post reviews and constructive criticism! The first few chapters of this story will alternate between Haymitch's POV and his girlfriend Artemis' POV. Happy reading!**

**P.S.: If you haven't read Catching Fire yet, please immediately close up you computer and don't read this story until you have read the amazing novel that is Catching Fire. If you don't listen to me, you are in for some big spoilers for CF!**

**UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE, 8/11/12: Hey there, it's me! I just wanted to say that I went back and read some of my chapters and I noticed that my Haymitch has the warning signs of being a Mary-Sue. I hate Mary-Sues more than anything, so I'm going to go back and make him have more flaws. Sorry, this was my first fanfic, so it didn't come out as good as my other ones. Enjoy!(in case you don't know, a Mary-Sue is a character that doesn't seem to have any obvious flaws. Most authors hate them, including myself.)**

HAYMITCH:

Have you ever walked into a nest of tracker jackers, slept on a bed of nails, then banged your head 100 times on a door frame, gotten run over by a coal train, then drowned yourself in a chamber of Greasy Sae's soup, then gotten eaten alive by mutations? Multiply that sensation by ten and that's pretty much how you feel when listening to one of Miss Honeybottom's lectures.

"And that, young children, is the expansive list of methods of transporting coal to the warehouses adjacent to districts 12, 8, 6, and 1. I find that quite exciting, now don't you, children?"

Everyone in the dreary classroom simultaneously groans as she curses us with yet another one of her sickly sweet grins. People call this freak "Honeybutt" for a reason. All I can think about right now is how out of place this purple haired, turquoise skinned Capitolite teacher looks in this dreary grey District 12 school classroom, lecturing a bunch of gaunt-faced Seam kids about "the wonders of coal transportation". I'm seriously starting to wonder what in her twisted mind makes her so enthralled with the concept of boring us to death with her pointless lectures.

_Does she not have anything better to do with her life? _I ponder silently while Honeybutt giggles and starts to explain why she thinks coal transportation is 'utterly enthralling'.

I guess I don't blame her, though. Capitol people barely even do anything with their lives except for sporting obnoxiously bright colors and gleefully watching children get tortured to death every year. Okay, okay, maybe that was sort of stereotyping, but oh well. I can do whatever I want.

See, it's not that I'm arrogant. It's just that I'm...boldly insightful, shall we say. I have a bit of a habit of getting into trouble, sitting in detention, making snarky and rude comments, and did I mention getting into trouble? In fact, I'm such an outlaw that I wouldn't be surprised if they purposely reaped me this year. I guess I have a higher chance anyway, though. This year is the 50th Hunger Games, and they're having this thing called a Quarter Quell, which is pretty much a Games with some awful twist to make the tributes' lives miserable. These Quarter Quells happen every 25 years. So in honor of the Second Quarter Quell, they're sending not 2, not 3, but 4 tributes to the Games this year. Honestly, do they have to send 47 unfortunate children of the human race to die this year?

Funny I just thought that, because the next thing she screeches is:

"Now, even more enthralling is the fact that the reaping for the Second Quarter Quell is but nineteen hours and twenty-eight minutes and thirty-seven seconds away! Each of you will gain the chance to escape this pathetic district of yours and finally become something worthwhile! It's the day everyone in Panem has been waiting for to celebrate the generosity of the Capitol toward you undeserving barbarians, though each of you brats deserve public execution! None of you even know a thing about table manners, I must say, but the Hunger Games can change all of that. The prep teams can take care of civilizing you!" Honeybutt chimes, still flashing us that revolting grin.

Wow. Like public execution isn't the exact thing as 24 teenagers fighting to the death. And like table manners are going to judge the difference between life and death. Seriously? Kids are starving and that witch is obsessing over what hand we hold our forks in?

Something in me snaps all of a sudden. How could she have the gall to say something like that about our district? What, does she expect us to find joy in the certain death of not two, but four children this year? This is what the Capitol calls generous? Before I can stop myself, I slam my fists on my desk, anger coursing through me.

"Whoop-dee-doo," I call out. "Of course we can't contain our excitement at the prospect of murdering innocent children and dying slow painful deaths while all of Panem watches and laughs. Oh my god, that's been like everyone's lifelong dream! Even better is that each of our chances at dying have been doubled this year."

By this time I'm standing up behind my desk, ready to continue my spontaneous rant. I turn to the rest of the class, adrenaline rushing through my bones. "Happy Hunger Games everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favor, even though they won't be because the odds have only been in the favor of one District Twelve tribute out of 49 blasted years! Who's ready for a slow painful death? Who's ready to murder innocent children? Who's ready to become a piece in the Capitol's screwed 'pageant' of death? Who's ready to celebrate the twisted rule of the Capitol? Because I sure am not!"

I am now seething with rage as I awkwardly stand there in front of my classmates. Honeybutt is gaping at me like a retarded fish, and I stifle a smirk. I begin to regret my outburst. This could earn me a month's detention. Oh well. It's not like I haven't been in detention before...

Suddenly, a succession of clapping pierces the silence. I whirl around to see the source of the sound, and find that my girlfriend Artemis is clapping at me for my little speech. I flash her a discreet grin. Then, to my astonishment, another guy starts clapping. One by one, the clapping grows louder until finally the entire class is applauding me, hooting and hollering. The teacher is taken aback; her sugar-coated smile is fading. That was pretty much the biggest "screw you" a Capitolite could get.

"Haymitch Abernathy," she says ominously. The clapping ceases. "You are excused from attending school until further notice."

"Yeah, whatever. I may be excused from school, but the kids of Panem will never be excused from fighting to the death each year unless we do something about it!"

This statement gains many shouts of "Heck, yeah!" and "Amen!" and "Down with the Hunger Games!"

Finally, Honeybutt loses it.

"ENOUGH!" she screams. "CURSE YOU, ABERNATHY! CURSE THIS DISCTRICT FULL OF STREET-RATS LIKE YOU! GET OUT OF THIS SCHOOL AND WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF HERE, GO TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!" "Fine," I reply calmly. "See you there."

I then turn on my heel and casually saunter out of that wretched hellhole. As I'm leaving, I can hear Honeybutt hollering out an impressive array of swear words at me. All I can think is, albeit immaturely,

_I just kicked Honey Butt._

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**LIKE FIVE MINUTES LATER**

_Oh my god, I just got expelled from school!_

The full blow of what I have just done is starting to hit me as I walk out the doors of District Twelve Intermediate School. Maybe I should feel guilty or something, but to be honest I'm glad I did it. Honeybutt deserved the humiliation she got. I won't need to worry about Mum – she's probably drunk as a skunk like usual.

By the sun I can tell that there's still about two hours until everyone else gets out of school. I decide to walk around the hob a bit. Maybe order one of Greasy Sae's new concoctions or something.

I finish the fifteen minute walk to the Hob and go through the door. Immediately I notice that a massive crowd is gathered around Sage the fruit vendor's stand. Sage is sixteen, like me, and she should be in school except she's been feigning a broken leg so she wouldn't have to go. She needed time to run her fruit stand to make more money.

"Sage!" I call. "What's going on?" She looks up from the hassling crowd, smiling wearily and obviously overwhelmed. "New shipment of tangerines from District Four! One for two goldens!"

Tangerines? Now THAT sounds pretty tempting. I've only had a tangerine, what, like one or two times? I whip out four golden coins to surprise Artemis with one, too.

I know what you're thinking. No, I'm not rich. I steal most of my money from Mum. She won the twenty-fifth Hunger Games, but she spends all her gold on white liquor, so me and my little brother are starving like the rest of District Twelve. It's hard to steal her money, though, because it's locked up in a safe. Sometimes she just accidently leaves coins scattered around the house. A tangerine is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime treat.

I push through the crowd and buy two of the plump, juicy fruits. As I'm walking out of the Hob I realize that I still have about eighty minutes to kill. I decide to stroll around the rest of the Seam. The Peacekeepers won't care; they never discipline anyone, and a lot of them are even my good friends. That's saying something because in other districts like 2, I could be shot five times on a daily basis because of all the rules I break.

"Hey Haymitch! Cutting school again?" yells Calvin from across the street. Calvin is one of my best friends/Peacekeepers. He likes to help me pull pranks on the Head Peacekeeper, Recshlov. We call him Rex.

"No, I got expelled! I've been waiting for this day all my life!" Calvin jogs over. "Congrats, buddy! Finally, a young lad following in my footsteps to become the terrible young man he's destined to be! Oh wait, you're already a terrible young man, so it was all for nothing."

Calvin was kicked out of school three years ago when he was my age for "Rebellious Incitations", which is pretty much the same thing I got in trouble for, but he actually started a legitimate rally. Back then, the punishment was much harsher and he had to go train to be a Peacekeeper.

"Wha'd you do this time?" he asks, clearly wanting to giggle. "Oh, all I did was that I spoke out against the Hunger Games, implied a rebellion and got the entire class to start chanting 'Down with the Capitol!' which made Honeybutt freak out and start cussing and telling me to go to hell." Calvin laughs. "Well, looks like you kicked some Honey-butt!"

"Ew, that was TERRIBLE, Calvin, you suck at jokes!" We burst out laughing at yet another one of Calvin's hilarious attempts to be funny. "Any more developments on the new prank on Rex?" he asks. "Oh, yeah! I was thinking that instead of putting the laxatives _in_ the coffee then inducing the tripwire, we should spread the laxatives around the coffee pot so it will be plagued forever! Then we should –"

"Rex is coming!" he hisses. I put on my terrified face, while Calvin puts on his fierce face. We have a plan where whenever Rex comes along, Calvin pretends to be scolding me because Peacekeepers aren't supposed to associate with regular people and probably so that he can get a raise. "And that is why young hooligans such as yourself should never…um….steal a Peacekeeper's muffin!" Calvin hollers at me in a loud authoritative tone. Rex shoots him an approving look. He continues like this until Rex is out of earshot. We both burst out laughing again.

"Well looks like school's almost out. I'm surprising Artemis with a tangerine." "Ahhh…young love…" "Shut up." "Okay, stay out of trouble young hooligan or I swear I will whip your face until it pops like a zit!" "Thanks for the mental image, by the way!" I call back. "Yeah, I know, that was beautiful! See you soon!" Calvin replies. I jog over to the steps of the schoolhouse.

Artemis is walking out, her bright grey Seam eyes and straight black hair glinting in the sunlight. "Hey! Fartemis!" I call. I dash up to her and lift her up from behind. "AAUUUGGHH!" she screams. I love how she never squeals – she just yells. "God, Hay-witch, you scared me to death! Put me down!" She leans forward and pecks my lips. I grin. "'Hay-witch'? Okay, that's probably the worst one yet! And no, I'm not putting you down!"

She laughs. "Hey, there's worse things I could call you! Want to go to number two?" Number two is an unused house in the Victor's Village, marked with a number two for the second District 12 victor that we will probably never have. "Okay, but this time you gotta carry _me." _"In your dreams," Artemis says. So I carry her and run through the streets to Number Two, attracting quite a few stares. I notice Calvin wolf-whistling at us, and I wink at him.

We arrive at Number Two and run down to the cellar, our favorite place. "Okay, so since it's the Reaping tomorrow, I got you a little surprise." I hand her the tangerine out of my pocket. Her eyes immediately light up. "Sweet!" she says. "Not as sweet as you!" I shoot back.

Her nose wrinkles in disgust. "Ew Haymitch, quit trying to be romantic because you suck at it! Okay, well, I got you a present too." "Oh no, did you get me a bra again?" I ask, feigning nervousness. She laughs at the memory. "Oh shut up, you know I meant to give that to Rex as a birthday 'present'!" We both succumb to fits of laughter. That was yet another one of our brilliant pranks on Rex. "I got you this," she says excitedly.

She holds out this amazing stained brown leather armband. On it is engraved the words Με το Καπιτώλιο, or 'Down with the Capitol' in Greek, an obscure ancient language that we use to communicate when planning pranks on Rex, taunting the Capitol, and passing notes. "Hey, what's leather made of?" I ask.

Artemis frowns. "Dead cows." "Yay! I'm so glad to know that I will always have a piece of dead cow to keep me company!"

"Alright, you probably won that argument. Well you always win everything, so no offense taken." "That's true babe, I do always win." "I was kidding, I always win." "Yeah, right, and I'm the president of Panem." I retort sarcastically.

See, most people wouldn't interpret this as a romantic moment, but we both hate tacky words of love, so we find this as a perfect opportunity to lean in for a kiss. I feel something stirring inside of me; something I can only feel when I'm around her. As she smashes her lips against mine, I only have one thought:

_I have the best freaking girlfriend anyone could ever have._

~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~}_~


	2. My Life is Ruined by a Bipolar Octopus

**Chapter 2: My Life is Ruined by a Bipolar Octopus**

Artemis:

I wake up to the sound of rumbling. _Nah, blast It,_ I mumble. But despite the my protests, the rumbling grows louder. The ceiling is starting to crack.

A jolt of terror surges through me. "Haymitch!" I scream. "EARTHQUAKE!" To my horror, Haymitch doesn't wake up. The rubble is closing in on us. "HAYMITCH!" I scream even louder, trying to drag him away. He won't budge. The ceiling is one inch away from us. "HAYMITCH!"

I sit up quickly, panting and sweating. _Just a dream, _I think to myself. Haymitch is alright. We are still in the cellar of #2. I have no idea when I fell asleep – the last thing I remember is a conversation about dead cows and winning, then kissing Haymitch, and him saying something like "You are the best girlfriend ever". I look over to my right. Sure enough, the rumbling is still there, except it's coming from Haymitch's open mouth.

I chuckle. That guy is the loudest snorer I have ever come across in my entire life.

I decide to scare him for my amusement. I pick up a big fistful of dust bunnies and spread them around his mouth. His face starts to contort. "No….NO….not the coal….sandwich? No….go away…I want Artemis…muffin…shut up…AUUGGHH!"

Haymitch jerks awake, chest heaving. He looks genuinely terrified, an emotion I have never seen cross his face before.

I am laughing so hard, rolling over on the ground. Haymitch seems confused out of his mind.

"Hi there Haymitch! So who do you want more, me or the muffin or the sandwich?" Haymitch's face turns bright red. "Oh god. Did I sleep talk?" "No, Haymitch, I crept inside your mind and found out exactly what your dream was about," I say sarcastically.

"Okay, well, me and this sandwich were dueling. The sandwich had a double axe, and I had a sword. Then this muffin comes up to us and goes, 'Do you want me to eat Artemis?' and I was all 'No way dude! Shut up, I want Artemis now!' and he was all 'Then go talk to the magical pie of England' and I was all 'England doesn't exist anymore!' and then he started freaking on me and he ate my arm."

"HAHAHAHA! Wow Haymitch, so that's pretty much as scary as your dreams get, huh? I dreamed about a ceiling collapsing on you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Best dream ever! But then I realized you were still alive, so I was pretty bummed out," I tease.

"Oh, come here you idiot." He pulls me in for a long kiss. He finally breaks away after five minutes of this. "I'm so glad that you didn't get eaten by that bipolar muffin…" This brings me an idea. "Mitchie, want to go steal a muffin from Rex?"

"On one condition: NEVER call me Mitchie in public," he retorts.

"OKAY MITCHIE!" I holler as loud as I can. "Since it's the Reaping, we may as well- oh shoot, it's the Reaping today! I think it's at like 11!" "Crap!" Haymitch exclaims. "Okay, let's do it the old-fashioned way."

"What, go naked?" I ask, uneasy.

"Interesting suggestion, but no. Since all our clothes are pretty crappy, I nick some coins from Mum, buy some clothes for us, wear them, and after the Reaping we just return them."

"Sounds like a plan. But we could just wear our crappy stuff, I mean since when do we care about clothes?"I protest.

"Good point. Okay, let's just wear these clothes. If we get reaped, we suck it up and deal with it."

Pretty good way to put it. Not many of our tributes have ever really sucked up and dealt with it before, though. All they do is cry or die, usually both.

"Speaking of getting reaped – which won't happen to us – how much tesserae do you have?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Hm… one for me, one for Mum, six for Calvin because I owe him for getting him in trouble with Rex, I gave two for Sage because I lost a bet, seven for our emergency storage, two for Greasy Sae as a donation, five for you, and five because I'm 16. That's about…30 or so."

Wait- Haymitch put in tesserae for ME? We had an agreement against that! Well I guess I shouldn't be talking because I secretly put in five for Haymitch, but still…

"Haymitch? Why did you put in tesserae for me?"

Haymitch gawks at me like I'm crazy.

"Because I love you and you're starving."

"Okay fine, because I put in five for you. I think I have about fifty in there because once again, Hera refuses to put in any tesserae."

Hera is my stupid, shallow, sexy, spoiled, obnoxious eighteen year old sister. My parents ADORE her, and they spend what little money they have on stuff for her. They hate me so much that they kicked me out of the house, saying I was too much of a disgrace or whatever. I know it was really because Hera demanded for me to be disowned. Of course. Anything to please sweet, intelligent, perfect Hera. Please note the sarcasm.

I now live in #2, and I'm practically starving. Even worse is that since my parents refuse to take any chances at their precious Hera going off to die, they put in THIRTY slips of tesserae for me, and they give every single bit of it to themselves and Hera. Athena, my twin, used to live with me in #2 before I met Haymitch, but she went to the 47th Hunger Games when we were thirteen. She was amazing with a flail somehow and made it to the final two, but an awful District 2 freak named Enobaria ripped Athena's throat out with her bare teeth. I still have nightmares about that.

Anyway, after me and Haymitch's tessera discussion, we decide to head down to the square. The Reaping was about fifteen minutes away, and the walk took about that much time. When we arrive, my mood immediately begins to darken. The gloom seems to resonate from each and every one of the citizens of District 12.

I had never actually considered the fact that Haymitch or I might get reaped, but with all that tesserae and four tributes this year, the odds are not in our favor. We look around for Calvin, but he is nowhere to be found. We sign in and walk toward the roped-off areas where we separate. "Good luck, babe," he tells me, and he kisses my forehead. Then we reluctantly part ways as I walk over to the 16-year Girls section. I can barely find a place to stand, and the mayor is just starting his speech.

"Welcome District 12, to the 50th Annual Hunger Games Reaping." The bespectacled man clears his throat to make sure everyone is listening, which they aren't.

"Two hundred years ago, a continent known as North America presided in where Panem now thrives. In the ancient city of San Francisco, massive earthquakes that spawned there completely destroyed the region known as California. The flooding of Connecticut also…"

My attention span is immediately lost as he goes on and on about the history of Panem and the natural disasters that brought down America, Mexico and Canada like a hundred years ago. Pretty much everyone's attention span is gone by now. How can we think about history when we may be about to go off to our imminent deaths?

I notice the people sitting on the chairs behind the mayor's podium. On the left is Kolonpi, our ridiculous Capitol escort who is known to be severely bipolar. I'm sure Athena would have some great stories about her.

Kolonpi has skin composed of shiny blue and green scales, and her bright purple hair has wavy "tentacles" that stick out in eight different directions, effectively making her look like an octopus. We call her the Bipolar Octopus of Death. If you ever see her in person, you can probably tell why.

To her right is an empty chair where the mayor was, and on the far right is where our only mentor sits – Callena Abernathy, Haymitch's alchoholic mother. She's dressed in a maroon strapless dress. Despite being in her mid-forties and being alcoholic, she actually looks pretty good, with wavy blonde and bright green eyes, a rare thing in the Seam. She's one of those people that could look really pretty if she tried to, which she doesn't. Only those stuck-up merchant girls and Hera do.

By the time I'm done pondering this, the mayor is apparently done with his droning speech. Kolonpi is walking toward the two glass reaping bowls. I think of fifty slips with my name on them.

_If I get reaped, then my parents are going down_, I think to myself.

"Happy Hunger Games!" Kolonpi hollers almost angrily, slamming her fists on the table. I'm pretty sure the entire district jumps. Then a calm, resigned smile crosses her face.

"And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor." She says sweetly and quietly. The entire district stifles a snicker. Me and Haymitch exchange a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, get on with it; we don't care about your mental problems." Callena shouts drunkenly. I outwardly laugh at her rude comment. Exactly what I would say if I were up there...

Kolonpi looks somewhat offended. Suddenly, a look of incredible sorrow appears on Kolonpi's face. "And now, we…select our tributes." A single tear drips down her face. The, she lights up with a ridiculously big smile. "AREN'T YOU ALL EXCITED?"

Silence.

"We will now pick the first out of four tributes. Ladies first!" She reaches into the bowl. An intake of breath rises from the crowd.

_Not me, not me..._

"Maysilee Donner!"

Cries of terror eminate from my section. I never knew Maysilee well, but enough to say hi and everything.

Two blonde girls I know from school are clinging to her. One is her twin Megan, and the other's name I don't know, but I know her boyfriend Clarke Everdeen. Maysilee detaches herself from the girls and strides up to the stage, her face fierce and brave-looking.

"Congratulations, Miss Donner! Now, for a very lucky gentleman. She reaches into the bowl and pulls out a slip.

"Taylor Wetsell!"

Oh crap. That's one of Haymitch's friends. Haymitch looks pained, and I shoot him a sympathetic look. Taylor shakily walks up to the stage, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome, Mr. Wetsell! Now for the second lucky lady!" She reaches into the bowl yet again.

"Artemis Falcon!" I look around for that poor soul. I wonder who she is…? Someone nudges me and gives me a pained look. Wait a minute…

"Artemis Falcon?" I look over at Haymitch. Tears glisten in his eyes, threatening to spill out. That's surprising – Haymitch never cries.

Then it hits me.

I got reaped.

I got REAPED. OH MY GOD I JUST GOT REAPED? _Suck it up and deal with it_, a voice tells me from inside my head. I slowly take a breath and walk up to the stage, wiping my face of all emotion.

"NO!" I hear a girl scream. I look over to where the sound came from. My best friend Sage is screaming. She dashes up to the stage.

Oh dear Lord, please tell me she isn't about to-

"MY NAME IS SAGE BAXTER AND I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"

Wait- did I just get volunteered for? No, no, this can't happen! 12 has never had a volunteer, _ever_. Sage can't go...

"Sage, that's really, _really_ nice of you, but-"

I feel a pull on my arms. "Artemis, please…let Sage go…" Haymitch is behind me and lifting me up.

"Haymitch? Haymitch, what are you doing? LET ME GO! LET ME GO! WE CAN'T LET SAGE DIE!"

"I'm sorry," he whispers tenderly. "I can't let you die on me."

I start to protest but Haymitch silences my words by pressing his lips to mine. He carries me back to my section while I flail around, and he puts me down.

"I love you," he whispers. Then he walks back to the boys' section. Everyone in the square is awestruck.

"Well.." Kolonpi laughs nervously. "That was..quite interesting. Welcome Sage Baxter, our new second female tribute." Sage is keeping her face devoid of emotion. Exactly what I'd want her to do...

"And now… the final male tribute representing us in the 50th Annual Hunger Games is…

"Haymitch Abernathy!"

"No…" I whisper. Haymitch? What? Did they just rig this? He can't go! Not Haymitch, why Haymitch, of all people? Before I can stop myself I scream,

"WELL ISN'T ANYONE GOING TO VOLUNTEER?"

Silence.

I walk to the middle of the aisle. "WELL? WHAT'S KEEPING YOU?"

"Artemis, it's alright," Haymitch calls.

"NO! IT'S NOT ALRIGHT! HE CAN'T GO! NO! HAYMITCH! AUUUGGGHHHH!" Johnny, Haymitch's eighteen year old brother, is pulling my arm and dragging me back to my section. "I am so, SO sorry about this, Artemis. I'm really bummed out too. Let's visit him after, 'k?" he whispers.

"O-okay." I choke. He puts me down. I feel something running down my face. Is it rain? No, wait. I'm crying. Not just crying, I'm sobbing. I never cry! _Ever_! Everyone is giving me sympathetic pats on the back. Haymitch is on the stage putting on a brave face for the cameras.

Haymitch…_my_ Haymitch…

I immediately add "The Bipolar Octopus of Death" to my mental list of things I hate.


	3. My Girlfriend Chucks a Pie at my Face

**Chapter 3: My Girlfriend Chucks a Pie at Me**

Haymitch:

_My name is Haymitch Abernathy. I am sixteen years old. My mother is a Victor and my father was hung for poaching two years ago. My girlfriend is Artemis Falcon. I have an older brother named Johnny. My favorite color is red. I am a tribute in the 50__th__ Hunger Games. I am waiting for my loved ones to visit me in a posh Capitol room. I hate the Capitol. I got expelled from school yesterday. Kolonpi looks like an octopus. My name is Haymitch Abernathy. I am sixteen years old…_

I am trying to remember everything about me to keep myself from going insane. Thoughts of all kinds are buzzing through my head, competing for my attention.

Why did I have to get reaped? My life was going pretty well for a person in the Seam. Even though I'm poor and starving, I live in Victor's Village, I have an amazing girlfriend, I am District Twelve's biggest trouble maker – why did all that have to change? Why?

I cup my face in my hands. For the first time in my life I am actually _crying_. I can't cry! I'm Haymitch Abernathy, the snarky, witty, clever prankster! Pranksters don't cry! That's just not how it works!

_This isn't who I am, _I think. Or is _it? _

Before I can answer my question, the door bursts open. Artemis is standing in the doorway of the room where I must say my goodbyes.

Suddenly, a projectile is flying at my face. It reaches its target with a strange squelching noise.

I fall out of my chair, the squishy thing blocking my vision. I wipe my face with my hands.

Wait a minute, is this…a pie?

Before I can ask what just happened, Artemis flings herself at me and buries her face in my shoulder, sobbing.

"Haymitch w-why do y-you have to go? I-I mean I know y-you got reaped and everything, but you c-can't leave me! Not now!" I stroke her hair gently.

"Listen, before we get into all this, may I ask why you chucked a pie at my face?" She sniffles. "Oh, oops. I m-meant to g-give that t-to you as a present, b-but when I hugged you I forgot i-it was i-in my hand…the b-baker wanted m-me to give it t-to you. For your birthday."

I smile. It's good to know she cares about me.

"Thanks, babe. Listen, I have something really important to tell you, but can you help me wash off this pie, first?" We both laugh a little at our predicament, then go over to a nearby sink and wash it off.

"Ah, that's b-better," she says, her voice still wavering a little. "I don't want my last memory of you to be of you covered in pie, though it does look a bit sexy…" she grins. I notice she's stopped crying by now.

"I know, right? I think it should go on the front cover of _Capitol Couture_. But anyway, this won't be your last memory of me."

"What do you mean? You're going to the Hunger Games against 48 freaking kids, I'm sorry but I don't know if you can –"

"Artemis." I cup her face in my hands. "I want you to know something. No matter what I have to do, or what it will take, _I will come back to you. _Whenever I'm stabbing someone or doing anything unpleasant like that, I will think '_This is for Artemis.'" _

Artemis is looking a bit happier. "You swear?"

"ΟΡΚΊΖΟΜΑΙ από τόσο της ζωής μας."

_I swear by both of our lives._

"I will do ANYTHING at all. No matter WHAT, I'm coming back."

The Peacekeeper at the door peeks in.

"Time's up, kid. I'm really sorry. Rex is monitoring this, I think, so Artemis, you're gonna have to go. I'm _really_ sorry."

I recognize him to be one of Calvin's friends, Luther. Artemis turns to me.

"If you lose, I'm gonna kill you."

"Hard to kill a corpse in a wooden box," I chuckle, struggling to keep my tears in.

"Oh shut up." She pulls me in for one last kiss. I try to remember every second, and the warmth and happiness she gives me.

As she pulls away, I realize how beautiful she really is. Her grey eyes, bright and dangerous, are always twinkling with a mischievous glint. Her long dark hair is thick and luscious. Everything about her is just…amazing.

Before I'm ready, it's time to say goodbye.

"Bye-bye, Mitchie." Giving me one last look of hopefulness, she turns and walks out. When she's gone, I suddenly feel emptiness that I've never felt while I've known her. I want her back.

_Don't worry, _I reassure myself. _I'll see her soon. _

_And when I do, I'll be seeing her through the eyes of District 12's newest victor._


	4. I Discover My NewFound Hate of Trains

**Chapter 4: I Discover My New-Found Hate of Trains**

**A/N: Well hello again! Haymitch has been pestering me a lot lately. He says all that romance between him and Artemis is described as being WAY too tacky. Well I now have a poll concerning that issue in my profile. Vote now! Haymitch is waiting…**

**Chapters will now be shorter and more frequent. Please review! Oh, and in case you were wondering about the weird chapter names, I got that idea from the Percy Jackson series. Love ya, Rick Riordan! :D**

Haymitch: 

Great. Just great. Now I'm in a giant red bean bag on a stupid high-speed Capitol train, whizzing away from home and everyone I love. Even worse is that I didn't get to say goodbye to Johnny – Luther told me he was sick from shock and was vomiting in the restrooms currently. Poor him. Also, my friends didn't get to see me because I apparently spent too much time with Artemis.

But the one thing that comforts me is that I'm coming back. I never break my promises to Artemis. I will personally kill the girls from Two for Artemis because a girl from two (Enobaria, I think) killed her sister Athena.

I will win. No matter what. There is no way I am leaving Artemis alone.

I think back to the day I met her two years ago, before my father died.

_ Me and a few friends had decided to sneak up on Sage just for the heck of it. Her back was turned, so while my friends watched, I crept up behind her, wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her up into the air. _

_"HEY!" Sage screamed. She whirled her head around, and I realized it wasn't Sage – it was a different girl from the Seam. I didn't know her, I had just seen her around._

_ "AH!" I quickly dropped her. She immediately slapped my face so hard that I couldn't feel my left cheek. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU MESSING WITH ME? HMM?"_

_ She lifted me up by my shirt collar and raised me up to her level. I could feel my cheeks flush. I could also hear my friends shouting "Wow, way to go Haymitch!" _

_I tried to struggle out of her iron grip, but this girl was INCREDIBLY strong. "Um…sorry, I thought that – " "Oh, so you thought you were all that just because you're some crappy, stuck-up Victor's son? Well that isn't right. So you better back off, and if I catch you hounding me one more time, I will take that pretty face of yours, grab my flail, and I will –"_

_ "Athena, cut him some slack, will you?" A girl almost identical to her strolled up and gently released me from Athena's grasp. "Artemis, that guy was HASSLING me. He was trying to get provocative!"_

_The identical girl's face darkened. "Is that so? Well come on, we've got a little surprise for you." _

_My friends wolf-whistled. _

_The girl blushed. "NO YOU IDIOTS! WHAT IN YOUR TWISTED MINDS MAKES YOU THINK THAT I – Oh, never mind. No, kid, just come on!" _

_Long story short, they blindfolded me, dragged me to an alley, and beat the living heck out of me. At first, I had put up a goof fight, but then I realized that it was pretty low to beat up some girls. So I let them do their worst._

_ I was in some of the worst pain I had ever felt. Finally, they removed my blindfold. Athena leaned up close to my face until our noses were inches away from each others'. _

_"Don't you EVER hassle me again. Because you have learned what happens when you do." Athena turned around and walked away._

_ I had never been more embarrassed. I had just been beaten up by two girls! No one can know about this. I'm strong, but these girls may as well be Careers. The other girl remained, to my surprise. "Were you really trying to hassle her?" she asked._

_ "No, I thought she was someone else. And man, that girl can PUNCH."_

_The girl smiled. "Yeah, sorry we had to put you through that. My name's Artemis, by the way. Here, come to House #2 in Victor's Village, and I can ice you up and give you some painkillers for those injuries." _

_"Will I get a kiss?" I asked jokingly._

_ "Maybe." Artemis shrugged._

_ "I will take that chance, then!"_

_ We both laughed. I then went to the empty house with her, and she iced my bruises and bandaged my cuts with cloth strips. I got to know Artemis, the sarcastic, tough, bold girl with a stuck-up older sister and parents that disowned her. I started to like her more and more, and after a while I realized that she was pretty much an exact female replica of me, personality-wise._

_"Haymitch?" she asked during a moment of awkward silence._

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "Want that kiss?" _

_I smiled. "Okay."_

_ So that day I had my first kiss, and she's been my girlfriend ever since the day I got Athena confused with Sage._

"Haymitch?" I snap back into reality to find that Sage is tapping my shoulder. "The evil octopus has ordered us to come to the dining hall for lunch. You coming?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Coming." As I'm getting up from the plush bean bag I was sitting in, the train suddenly lurches. My feet immediately slide out from under me, and I come crashing to the floor head first. A dull pain surges through my head, kind of like the pain I had when Athena and Artemis were attacking me. My head is now throbbing, and my vision getting fuzzy. I can vaguely hear Sage calling my name. Before I black out, I have one thought.

_I hate trains._


	5. A Little Girl Tries to Slit My Throat

**Chapter 5: A Sweet Little Blonde Girl Tries to Slit My Throat**

**A/N: Well hello yet again! Haymitch is STILL not happy. (Chapter 4 Author's Note) Once again, please vote in the poll! And please Please PLEASE PLLEEAAASSEEE review! Whether you like the story or not! Thank you!**

"Haymitch? Haymitch! Get up, right now!"

I awake to a dull pain in my head. My arm goes up to my forehead, and I feel a lump. I roll over, moaning, and open my eyes.

I'm in a satiny bed on a Capitol train, apparently. But I have one question – why? I look up and see the slight form of a girl who I think is Maysilee Donner standing over me. I groan and roll back over, not in the mood to deal with her.

"Haymitch Abernathy, if you don't get up this instant, I will personally strangle you with your own pillow."

I sit up, my head still aching. "Okay, okay. God, Maysilee, way to be gentle to the injured. Maybe a 'Good morning, Haymitch, how are you feeling?' would have been better. But wait – why am I injured again?"

I just vaguely remember what happened. Something to do with hating trains, I think.

Maysilee slaps her forehead. "Oh, come _on, _dimwit. Two hours ago you were sitting in a bean bag, and then the train lurched ever so slightly, you fell over, and your stupid self took a bump to the head and blacked out. Is that a good enough explanation for you? Or is it too much information for your microscopic brain to comprehend?"

Whoa there. Warm and fuzzy, much?

"Okay, look. So I don't even know you, and you're already assuming that my brain is as tiny as your wits. Which must mean that you think that I have absolutely no brain at all. So why are you being a jerk, again? What did I do to you? Or are you simply astonished by my amazing good looks and are playing hard-to-get because you want me so bad?"

Maysilee scoffs. "Wow. If you are too flimsy to stay conscious when you trip and scrape your little air-filled head, then I can't imagine how long you'll last in the Bloodbath, even. No, you're probably going to be one of those idiots who grabs a spear, taps the tip lightly, and dies from the pain."

Wow. This one is feisty. I decide to convey all my feelings for her in one sentence:

"Well I'm already feeling enough pain from looking at you, so I really wish you would relieve me of that pain by leaving."

Maysilee's face flushes with rage. She reaches over to a side table, grabs a dinner knife, and holds it against my throat. "YOU WANNA FEEL _PAIN_?"

I try to keep my composure. I know she hates me already, but she wouldn't actually _kill_ me...or would she?

"Really, this is nothing compared to the pain people feel when they hear you talk," I retort snarkily.

"SHUT UP!" She grabs the knife and slices it across my arm, leaving a thin line of crimson. I quickly retaliate by punching her in the face. I can feel the jolt of the impact my fist creates. Her eye is starting to blacken where I punched it.

"That's it, YOU ARE SO DEAD!" She pounces on me with the dinner knife, slicing away at my arms as I slap her face with all my might. I'm serious, that girl is pretty handy with that knife, but I'm just as handy with my fist. I can tell that she is easily provoked, which may be a good thing to know about her in the Games...

Suddenly, a strong force pushes us apart. I look up to see Callena – my mother - looking slightly flustered but pleased all the same, holding us in place.

"See, if I were a wholesome, legitimate mentor who plays by the rules, I would be giving you both a big scolding. But as I watched you two fight, I was really impressed by the ferocity you both maintained. Haymitch, nice job provoking her – that could be a pretty useful skill in the arena. Wits can be just as useful as brawn. Perhaps you could just fire a few insults at the Gamemakers during your private session – it actually might work out! Maysilee – now _that _was some pretty impressive knife work. Show that to the Gamemakers, and they'll have to give you at least a seven. But save that for a training dummy for now, alright?"

Maysilee and I exchange a look, gaping. This was the first time I have ever heard my mum give me a legit piece of advice. And she had actually praised us for almost killing each other!

Callena pats us each on the back. "Good job. Come over to the dining car in five minutes for a strategy meeting. Try not to fight again. Trust me, you do not want to see how beaten up you guys look." Callena turns around and walks out of the room.

To my surprise, Maysilee is the first one to apologize. "Listen, Haymitch, sorry that I started freaking out on you. I hope you know that I wasn't actually aiming to kill, I was just trying to get my point across."

I smile a little. "It's alright, sorry for provoking you and giving you that black eye. By the way, you seem like a really good fighter. I was wondering, do you think that, well, maybe you want to be allies?" Maysilee looks pretty shocked. "Me? You? Allies?" She smirks a little. "Well, it doesn't seem like you're _that_ bad. What other weapons can you use?"

"Double axe," I answer immediately. Mom has one in her house, and me and Johnny have played around with it. We made little targets out of straw, and whenever I threw the axe, I never missed. Not once. I don't know why, but it just feels so _right _in my hands.

Maysilee seems impressed. "Good." She says. "I throw knives. Since my parents own the sweet shop, we use a lot of them to chop up candy coating and stuff. One day I got really mad and I threw one in the wall on the other side of the room. It was a good solid stick, and this led me to practice with knives in case I got reaped. It turned out that I was really good with them. Oh – hey, looks like we better be heading to the dining car by now. Let's make this official. Allies?"

She stretches out her hand, and I grasp it and shake it.

"Allies." I confirm.


	6. Pee, Axes, and Other Random Matters

**Chapter 6:Pee, Double Axes, and Other Random Matters**

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 6! I hope you have been enjoying this story. PLLLEAASSEEE post some reviews! Pretty please? With a cherry on top? Please? You will make my day if you do! Sorry, I should stop begging. :D**

**And, in case you haven't noticed, there will not be another Artemis POV chapter until the Games begin.**

**UPDATE ON AUTHOR'S NOTE: There actually will be no more Artemis POV chapters. Sorry! :D**

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"So, everyone, welcome to our first strategy meeting. Just letting you know, I sober up for every Games, so don't feel too special."

That's Callena's very welcoming opening statement for this strategy meeting. Apparently Callena's definition for a 'strategy meeting' is her, Kolonpi, Maysilee, me, Taylor, and Sage sitting at a table while she and Kolonpi argue about whether tonight's steak at dinner should be cooked medium rare or well.

Me and the other tributes spend about fifteen minutes listening to their very entertaining argument, in which Kolonpi is especially bipolar and switches between about six different moods. Finally, Taylor loses it and shouts "Can we just begin our meeting? If neither one of you will give in, just let them cook the meat medium well!"

I don't think I've mentioned Taylor before. Taylor is one of my friends from school. See, I'm basically the leader in my pack of friends, who are all sixteen year olds except for Taylor. Taylor is fifteen, and I call him my little 'Apprentice'. We teach him good wholesome things like pranks and rule breaking. I think he's really picking up on it. Honestly, it's a shame he will have to die in order for me to win for Artemis, yet again, so will the other two tributes in this room...

Kolonpi gawks at Taylor, while Callena mouths "Thank you!"

Suddenly, a wide grin spreads across Kolonpi's face. "Well, let's get on with this wonderful little gathering, shall we?" she squeals in an ear-piercingly high voice. Callena rolls her eyes.

Kolonpi's face darkens, and she leans forward so she is about an inch away from Callena's face. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Callena doesn't even blink. "Yeah."

"How DARE you, you disgusting drunk!" screams Kolonpi. Callena shrugs.

"Well, at least I don't have a name that's pronounced 'colon pee'."

Everyone bursts out laughing at her witty remark except for Kolonpi, who spontaneously starts sobbing. "What's so funny about 'colon pee'?" This makes us laugh even harder at her stupidity.

"I hate you all! I hope all of you die! In fact, I wish I myself could die right now because you all are so mean!" She storms out of the room as Callena shouts "So do we!"

Wow. Honest to God, I have never seen my mother even smile before, let alone make witty comments and jokes!

"Gosh," exclaims Maysilee. "You have the power to ruin someone's life with 'colon pee'? Teach me, oh wise one!" She bows down at Callena. We are all laughing so hard that Taylor's face is turning purple. We stop so that Taylor doesn't suffocate from excessive giggling.

"So, let's get down to business now that that…distraction is out of the way. Why don't the four of you go around and share what strengths you have that you could use in the arena? Let's start with you, Sage, and go to your left."

"Well, I run a Natural Food stand back in Twelve, so all that knowledge could help me a lot in terms of finding food. I also beat the district record for highest tree ever climbed on record for a competition. One hundred twenty-three feet."

"Oh, I was there!" exclaims Taylor. "You mean the illegal one outside that fence with like two hundred kids?"

"That's the one," Sage replies.

"Wow. You were _so_ high up!" "Yeah," I say. "I made a bet with her that she wouldn't be able to win the contest, and I lost so I had to put in two tesserae for her. Maybe that's why I'm here." I playfully flick Sage's forehead. "You're welcome!" she chimes good-naturedly.

"Okay, okay. That can come in handy for escaping mutations and Careers. By the way, did I introduce myself? I don't think so. Well I'm Callena, but you can call me Callie. I'm your mentor. And if you're too much of an idiot to have realized that before, then I can guarantee you won't have a chance of making it past the bloodbath."

"Aw man! I thought you were President Snow!" jokes Maysilee.

"Well, I could very well be President Snow. You just don't know for sure. Anything can be true if there's no proof that it's not true. Wow, that sounded wise. Yeah, I know I'm awesome; you don't have to say it. Okay, Maysilee?"

"Throwing knives. And slicing up certain people whose names starts with a 'Hay' and ends with a 'mitch'."

"So I've realized." I remark.

"Good," says Callie. "Haymitch?"

"Double axe."

"Wait, I didn't know that!" Callie exclaims.

"Which I find amazing because you've been his mother for sixteen years," interjects Taylor.

"Well she's been knocked out from wine the entire time," Sage retorts.

"Yeah, but how does she not know that he can use a double axe?"

"Because she was drunk!" states Sage.

"Well how could she have been drunk for sixteen years and not have known he was fiddling around with her double axe?" says Maysilee.

"There's no proof that it's not true," I declare.

"Oh, so you're sucking up to the mentor now? Cuz that's exactly what Callie just said, mate."

"What? Where did that come from?" I exclaim.

"The awesomest person in the world." Taylor replies cockily.

"Correction: The awesomest person besides everyone." Maysilee scoffs.

"Okay, well if you're gonna be rude-"

"How was that rude? I was just stating a fact!" interjects Maysilee.

"There's no proof that it's not true." I say, repeating Callie's words yet again.

"Shut up, Haymitch! You aren't involved!" says Maysilee, obviously exasperated.

"But this entire argument is about me!" I argue.

"That's actually true." Sage points out.

"Oh, and now you're self-centered?"

"What? Oh, now come on, Maysilee, what makes you think-"

"CAN WE PLEASE STOP ARGUING ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HAYMITCH AND START BEING PRODUCTIVE?" shouts Callie.

"Okay, Callie."

"Don't call me that."

"But you said-"

"Okay, Taylor, your turn."

Taylor sighs. "Finally! Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but I'm actually good with a trident."

"Which makes sense, because you're you, and that is crazy."

"Shut up. You know how I work down at the forge? The illegal one involved in the Black Market?"

I nod. Sometimes he invited me and my friends over to play around with the weapons.

"Well, for my birthday, my dad gathered some metal and made me a trident. I practiced on some bricks, and I'm actually really good with it. At least, according to my dad. He's in charge of weapon making."

"Well, that's pretty unique for a District 12 person, especially considering the fact that that's more of a District 4 thing. That would catch the Careers off guard," says Callie.

"Why do we need to catch them off guard?" I ask.

"Because you should never, EVER, even consider joining the Careers. Careers are bloodthirsty, well-fed, arrogant little twerps running around with knives and swords and are willing and happy to kill all 47 other tributes in the arena without blinking an eye. Don't even bother fighting them until they have dwindled down to about three or four. If you fight, fight in a big group. If you want to wipe out all twelve of them, plan some kind of trap for them to walk straight in to. You know how well that worked out for me."

That's right. In Callie's Games, an especially well-stocked and ferocious Career pack of six was pigging out near Callie right after the Bloodbath. But Callie was somewhat of a master at chemistry. She used natural ingredients and harnessed energy from lightning in to create an extremely powerful bomb. She then waited for a parachute to come. When one finally was sent to her, she left the bread she received inside the parachute and hid the tiny bomb inside the loaf. Callie dropped the parachute on the Careers' camp from a tree. Sure enough, the Careers fell for it and opened the parachute. Then the bomb exploded and all six of them were killed, destroying the threat the Careers had toward the other tributes. This is why Callie is one of the most famous Victors - she is one of the only ones who has no brawn but all brains.

"Alright, so that's it for today's meeting. Go off and do whatever, but meet back here at 7 for dinner. No trying to kill each other," she adds with a pointed look toward Maysilee and me.

As I stroll out of the dining car, I realize something. District Twelve actually has a really good group of tributes this year. We have all distinguished ourselves as cunning, deadly, underestimated, or witty. The odds could very well be in our favor.

So watch out, Careers. You're in for quite a show this year.


	7. A Psychic Girl Predicts My Fate

**Chapter 7: A Psychic Girl Predicts My Fate**

Dinner was a disaster last night. Kolonpi and the rest of us had a huge argument about whether or not manners are important. Long story short, Kolonpi interchanged moods about ten times, but the argument was 5 against 1, so it wasn't long before she stormed out. The rest went smoothly until me, Taylor and Maysilee all had to run out of the room at some point to vomit because we pigged out a little too much. It was worth it though. We all tried chocolate ice cream for the first time, and _that _was what made it worth it.

It turned that the four of us had to share one room. There was another room so it would be two to a room, but the second room had an issue with plumbing (maybe because of all the food we heaved up) and we couldn't go in. There was only one bed in our room, but it was so wide that about ten people could easily fit inside, so we all slept in there and made boundaries from the others with pillows so it wouldn't be awkward. My space was wider than my bed back home.

"Hey! Little twerps! We've just arrived at the Capitol, so just get dressed and come out! And don't dawdle like you freaks usually do!"

Kolonpi is pounding on our door, shouting her very warm greeting at us. We all groan, get up, throw on some clothes without a thought that there are three other people in the same room, and rush out the door of the room before our irate escort starts throwing things at us.

When we run to see her outside our room, Kolonpi is grinning at us like she's incoherent or something. "Good morning, everyone! Come out and wave to the people out the window; we're riding through the Capitol!" Me and the other tributes look out the glass window and gasp in awe. Giant candy-colored buildings surround the train, and in the distance purple-tinted mountains line the horizon. People line the streets, waving at us – but they're not quite people. Almost all of them have at least one weird quality – purple hair, neon colored beards, whiskers, gems embedded in skin – all of these people seem like aliens. Maybe it's a Capitol fashion trend or something, but to us they just look messed up.

"Oh look, it's the training center!" We look to where Kolonpi is gesturing, and we see a massive shiny black building. This thing has to be at least twenty stories high. Apparently, this is where we will live, train, eat, and live the rest our lives for a week until the Hunger Games. The train stops by the training center.

"The train just stopped! That means we are here!" Kolonpi screeches. I roll my eyes. Thanks Kolonpi. Because we all didn't know that.

We walk out the door nearest to us, only to be blinded by sunlight. I squint to get the sun out of my eyes, and see that the District Five train has also just arrived. They're far to the north, in a place where an ancient land called Alaska used to be, so it probably took them just as long as us to get here. I crane my neck to get a glimpse of them, just out of curiosity.

The tributes are all red-heads with amber eyes. They seem pretty strong, and none of them are scrawny, though they all look underfed. When you've lived in the poorest district in the nation for sixteen years, you know how to tell whether someone is starving or not.

We walk through the doors of the Training Center with Five close behind us, and me and the rest of the tributes halt in astonishment.

The entire atrium is made of black marble, and the creases in the marble are glowing electric blue. Everything else is styled in the same manner, from the registration desk to the elevators. Callie beckons us forward, and we follow her to the front desk.

"District Twelve. Haymitch, Maysilee, Sage, and Taylor," Callie tells the lady at the desk. The green-haired receptionist peers down at us with sparkling rainbow eyes.

"District Twelve, huh?" she muses in a deep throaty voice. "Looks like you four just might have some hope this year. Especially Blondie and Curly-Black-Hair. Mmm, I think they would be a good couple!"

Me and Maysilee exchange an uncomfortable glance when we realize she's talking about us.

"Um...we're good," Maysilee replies, and we all quickly scoot out of the way so as to avoid the creepy receptionist.

District Five steps up to the desk. "District Five," one of their mentors says. Lucky – they have four mentors. "Electra, Wireson, Sparkes, and Crackle."

Okay, now that's just tacky. Just because their industry is power doesn't mean they all have to have power-related names. I mean, what if everyone in 12 was named 'Coalbie' or 'Miner' or 'Starvation'?

They look pretty decent though, so me, Maysilee, and two of District 5 head to the elevator on the left. We get inside and press the buttons 5 and 12. The thing immediately starts to zoom up at astonishing speed.

"Hey," a dude from 5 greets us. He looks to be about my age. "I'm Sparkes."

"I'm Electra," the other person, a girl, says. "We know you're from 12, but what are your names?"

"Maysilee."

"Haymitch."

We exchange a few comments and make a few jokes. The pair are actually really funny - if we get to know them better, they seem like potential allies. Electra tells us a funny anecdote about their creepy male escort named Maximus who tried to kiss her. Sparkes talks about his bad experience with the shower, and how it started to squirt cranberry juice all over him. "At least now I know I'm yummy," he jokes at one point. "Yeah, you are," Electra replies, and she kisses him on the lips real quick, and that's when I realize they must be dating.

Finally, they get to their floor and get out, their arms around each other's shoulders.

We keep going up the floors, then a girl comes on at Floor 9. Except...well, she's not your average girl. She has long raven-black hair, wide, round glasses, huge dangling jewelry, a floor-length shiny skirt, topped off with a tight, sparkling midnight blue top. She looks about fourteen and pretty loopy, but I decide to be friendly, just to see what happens.

"Hey, I'm-"

Her creepy purple-ish eyes start to widen. She grabs my face and jerks it close to hers. I laugh uncomfortably. "Listen, I know I'm hot, but I already have a girl-"

"Haymitch!" she interrupts.

"Wait, how did you know-"

"I see it in your eyes. A dark fate is yours, yes, a dark fate indeed…be careful what you do in the arena, Haymitch. It could mean the difference of life and death for your loved ones."

Um...what? Me and Maysilee exchange a look. "Listen, I don't quite see how you can know my fate, and-"

"Haymitch! Listen! I know already exactly what will happen in the Games. How each death will occur, who will win, and what their future will hold. If you want to preserve the life of your precious Artemis, you need to listen to me."

Wait- but how does she know aout Artemis? This girl is really starting to get to me. "Okay, if you will kindly just bug off or else -"

Suddenly, her azure eyes turn a bright, unearthly amber. Her high, tinkly child's voice turns into a deeper tone that sounds as if ten people are talking rather than one.

"_As the sun completes its mourning_

_That is when you earn your warning_

_An ally will be lost, a tool will be found_

_A tool that makes the stone come around_

_When death arrives spinning eagerly toward you,_

_Welcome it like so many before you._

_But if you dodge it, you pay the price:_

_Decades of sorrow no comfort will suffice."_

__Fear swoops through my bones. "Okay, this is really starting to creep me out..."

Her voice and eyes suddenly turn back to normal. "Well, it was nice seeing you, Maysilee and Haymitch. My name is Esmerelda, by the way. District Nine. Have a nice day, and good luck with Kolonpi!" She exits the elevator at the roof.

We wait for the door to close, then me and Maysilee just gape at each other. I have so many questions, so many insults to fire at Esmerelda, but I can only get one words out:

"What?"


	8. Chocolate, Tigers, and Coal Dust

**Chapter 8: Chocolate, Tigers, and Coal**

_A/N:_ **Hello there! I've noticed this story has been favorited by some people. I just want to say, thank you! It really makes my day. It makes Haymitch happy, too. Well, as happy as he'll ever be, anyway. -_- Anyway, thanks for all your support. This is one of the longest chapters, so I hope you enjoy it! I've also noticed that I've gotten two reviews. I know that two isn't that much, but to me it is, so thank you to Evaex3 and Sharkbait95 for reviewing! Next person who reviews also gets a shout-out. :D Hahaha sorry for rambling, I'm not usually the kind of person who rambles on and on and on and on and on in an Author's Note, but rambling is fun so ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble rambleramble ramble ramble ramble. :D**

**Next update will be tomorrow. Love you guys!**

"_Ding-dong!"_

The elevator doors open on Floor 12. But what Maysilee and I see is completely unexpected.

Everything is lavishly decorated. I mean, so lavishly that one square inch of this place is probably equal in worth to my house in Victor's Village. A long, shiny black table is in the center of the room. Like the foyer, everything in this room is black with glowing blue accents. The chairs are black stone encrusted with sapphires. A huge crystal chandelier hangs above the table, casting an eerie blue glow everywhere in the room. This room, which must be the dining room, breaks off into seven rooms.

Suddenly, Sage peeks her head out of a door. "Hey guys, you can choose any of these four rooms on the left for your bedrooms. Me and Taylor haven't decided yet. All of them are black, but each one has different colored accents. You can choose turquoise, purple, red, and green.

"I claim turquoise," says Maysilee immediately. "Red," I say.

Sage smiles. "Good, I wanted purple. Taylor, you're getting green!" She calls.

"YEEESSSS!" is the enthusiastic reply. Taylor strolls out jubilantly. "Check out the rooms. Haymitch, there will be a button panel on your right. Press the one second to the left, third row. You'll love it."

"Yeah, watch it be like a nuclear bomb or something." I retort. "Haymitch, you're already a bomb." says Maysilee. Wait...what?

We all stare at her. "Um, Maysilee, he has a girlfriend, you do know that right?" Sage asks.

Maysilee's face flushes. "No, like I meant it as an insult. Isn't it bad if you're the bomb?"

"I'd have to agree with Maysilee on this one," comments Taylor.

"No, it means you're a hot and sexy like me." I say.

"That's _bombshell, _you dimwit." Maysilee growls irritably. Dimwit? Isn't that, like, exactly what I'm not?

"Maysilee, you know we'd all like to set a bombshell on you!" Oh, wait. Maybe that didn't come out quite right…

Maysilee's face darkens. "You really want to go there, don't you?" She obviously took it the wrong way.

"No, no, like bombshell as in destroying you," I say hastily, not wanting to start another brawl. "You know, like, a bomb but in a shell?"

Her face lightens again. "Oh, okay, well I can do _that_ to you."

"Great, then I wouldn't have to look at you anymore." She laughs. "What, you wanna go?"

"Yeah, I wanna go somewhere that I don't have to look at your hideousness." "That's not what I meant, stupid. I mean, do you wanna tussle? Oh yeah, and I'm pretty hot, so don't act like it's not true." "I'm not acting like it's not true. I just _know _it's not true." "Are we gonna fight or not?" "How about later in some other place that's not in the middle of a Capitol hallway decorated with fragile objects?" Maysilee shrugs.

"Hey, let's go check out that button we told you about." says Taylor. We all murmur in assent and walk into the red room that now belongs to me.

This room is amazing. The bed has a red canopy above it, and the walls are lined with little flashing buttons and levers. I have a really good view of the Capitol in the afternoon from the window. I turn to the panel on my right. Then I locate the second one in the third row.

"Good, now press it," commands Sage. I notice they are all gingerly waiting behind me, like they're ready to leap out of the way.

"Aw, what the heck." What could possibly go wrong? I reach forward and press it.

Immediately I am blasted by something scorching hot. I can hear my three friends howling with laughter. I try to duck but the jet of hot stuff follows me. I end up dashing around the room. This weird brown goop is completely covering me, and I have no idea how I will get it off.

"GUYS! WHAT IS THIS? HOW IS IT…" And just as I think I'm about to turn into a roasted slab of meat, the jet of goop stops squirting. My friends are now rolling on the ground and howling. "LOOK IN THE MIRROR!" Maysilee chortles. I find a mirror and look.

I have been turned into a human chocolate bar.

"What the- what- I- chocolate-WHAT?" I start laughing, too, not being able to keep an indignant face.

"It's the chocolate setting! It covers you in a thick layer of chocolate, dries it, and now we can eat you!" says Taylor.

And with that, Maysilee, Sage, and Taylor are all attacking me with forks and knives, eating off the layer of chocolate. It's so hard that it takes quite an effort to bust through it. "Maybe I should wear this in the arena; it would protect me from every harm." "Nah, when the Careers catch you, they're just gonna eat it off." "As if they weren't fat enough." "Hey, I found a crack!"

Immediately, the three of them are munching away at the crack in the coating by my ribs. I'm thinking about how glad I am that nobody is watching this, because they would probably think we were practicing-

"Cannibalism?" We whirl around and see one of the strangest things we have ever seen. This lady is a cat. Like, literally. She's a _cat._ Her face has been altered to look like an actual tiger, complete with orange and black stripes and a black nose. Her nails have been morphed into claws. Sure, it's weird alright, but it actually looks pretty good on her since she's obviously still considerably young. In fact, she looks about my age. She begins to speak again, her furry eyebrows arched.

"Okay, so I could see anxiety, or bloodlust, or mental disorientation, or incoherence, but _cannibalism?"_

The three other tributes back away from me, revealing the layer of chocolate.

"Oh!" she laughs. "Oh, okay, you've just discovered the chocolate shower button. Okay, that's typical tribute behavior."

I notice that her voice is normal except for a little growl and a hiss on the letter 's'.

"I'm Tigris, your stylist. I'm styling all four of you, because…well…" "Because no one else volunteered?" offers Maysilee. Tigris nods.

"Yeah. Nothing personal, it's just…you know what I mean. The Capitol is very narrow-minded. The stylists just didn't quite know what to do with District 12. I had a plan, though, so I volunteered. Looks like I got lucky, you guys seem much better than the average lot from your district. So I take it you're all friends?"

We nod.

"That's cool! So the prep teams will come into each one of your rooms. You're not going to like what they do to you. Trust me, I didn't like it either when I was a tribute."

We all gasp. "Wait, so-"

"Yep. Tigris Marrow, District Six, 47th Hunger Games. Yeah, I'm a victor."

The four of us are immediately on alert, excited out of our wits and bombarding her with questions.

"Was it the Games where everyone was on boats? And you were just twelve?" "That's the one." "And when you fought the tiger shark and got your arm bitten off?"

"Yeah, it's prosthetic. Okay, so each of you go to your rooms. The prep teams will arrive soon. Hey, chocolate boy, don't let your prep team see you like that. Trust me, they'll freak out. I've got to work on the costumes some more. Blondie, can you help him wash off?"

"Why me?" protests Maysilee, arms slightly raised.

"Because the other two just left when I told them to."

"Okay, but I call the top half," Maysilee tells me.

"Thank god," I reply, not entirely comfortable with the idea of Maysilee giving me a bath.

"Good luck, you two. Also, you're gonna have to scrub his clothes too; the chocolate probably stained them. And Blondie, take off your outer clothes, they happen to be what you need to wear when the prep team handles you. If you get them wet they will flip out."

"Yeah. Not happening." mutters Maysilee. Tigris walks out, and me and Maysilee walk to my shower.

"Okay, well, I'm not stripping down to my underwear, so my prep team will have to deal with my wet shirt," Maysilee says. "Now let's just get this over with."

Maysilee scrubs me, probably removing at least four layers of skin once she gets past the chocolate layer. Every time I yelp in pain, she suppresses a giggle. Finally, after fifteen agonizing minutes, the painful scrubbing ceases, and I sigh with relief.

"She told me to wash your clothes. I'm not doing that because I don't feel like it and I'm not your Avox. So find a washer and do it. You're welcome for the help. Bye."

She strolls out of the shower, wringing out her damp blonde hair. When I know Maysilee's gone, I step out and wash my clothes. On my bed is the outfit I'll wear to prep, which is just knee-length shorts. That's all. Lucky her. She gets a shirt. I put on the shorts, dry off, and wait on my bed.

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"Ow….Oww…OW…OW!" "Sorry, sweetie, we just need to get the hair off…so much stubble…." I can feel the roots of the stubble I have on my face get ripped off one by one as my crazy prep team descends on me. The one ripping off the stubble is Manilda, a short, stocky, middle-aged woman whose hair, skin, clothes, and jewelry are all a variety of shades of purple.

A much taller man named Fannigus with his hair styled in a three-foot-tall silver mohawk is mixing together a strange concoction that I'm soaking in.

The only one who seems even close to slightly normal is Effie, a pink-haired sixteen-year old girl who apparently is an intern. She's actually studying to be an escort, but they needed one more person for my prep team, and she happens to be a master at hair. Effie has just finished doing it, and it looks amazing. It's a little messy, which she says matches my personality (it does) but it's also sleek and manly.

Even better, Effie hasn't been blessed with the gift of the crazily annoying Capitol accent. I kind of like her because of that. "Your costume for the Opening Ceremony is here!" Fannigus shouts. He talks _way_ too loud, I might add.

My fifteen year old stylist walks in with a giant black bag. "Great, does this mean I can finally put on some clothes?" My prep team stripped me of the shorts, leaving me with not a stitch of clothing. Tigris smiles. "If you behave. Now close your eyes," she orders. I do, and I feel something sliding over me, and her forcing me into some pants. I also feel something on my head.

"Open your eyes."

I don't see Haymitch Abernathy. I see the hottest guy ever to walk this planet. Not that I'm not already, anyway.

I'm wearing skin-tight pants that are literally glowing red. A black cape drapes over my back, covered with rubies and crackles of electric red. I don't have on a shirt, but my stomach and torso are covered in silver and red glitter and sprinkled lightly in a black powder that resembles coal dust exactly. I'm wearing black leather boots. My head is adorned with a spiky silver crown with rubies and diamonds, complementing my black curly hair and gray eyes.

"Tigris…this looks amazing! I'm like the god of coal dust!"

She smiles. "I knew you would like it. Blonde dude looks good in it, but not as good as you."

Wow. Can't wait to rub that in Taylor's face.

"I put a little unique touch on each of the costumes. Each one is a different color. I guessed what your favorite colors are by the color of your rooms."

"I love this!" I give Tigris a big hug, even though I'm not much of a cuddly guy, mainly just to see how her soft fur feels.

"A hot costume for a hot guy!" She winks. Wait, is Tigris flirting with me? Well, she _is_ fifteen... "Come on, curly, let's go see the rest of your friends."

We walk into the hallway. Sage, Taylor and Maysilee all look spectacular. Everyone has on the same costume and boots, except the girls each have a wide leather band wrapped around their chest. They're all wearing black with a different color. Sage is in purple with amethysts, Taylor is in green with emeralds, and Maysilee is in blue with sapphires.

"Wow. We are so awesome." Maysilee's comment pretty much sums it up. "Well come on, let's go down to the chariots!"

Me, the other tributes, Tigris, the twelve prep people, Callie, and Kolonpi all go to the elevator and ride to the Training Floor, where we will get into our chariots. We're one of the last districts to arrive, despite Kolonpi's nagging punctuality. When we walk in, a hush falls over the chariots. Everyone is gaping at our costumes. Since Tigris has never styled District 12, they have never seen anything like this other than ugly coal miner jumpsuits. Ignoring the stares, we get into our chariot, which is attached to four coal-black horses. Everyone starts talking again.

The tributes from 11 turn around. "Hey, I'm Ash." a girl says. "Who's your stylist? You guys look spectacular!"

"Tigris. Awesome, right?" answers Sage.

A guy from 11 turns around. "You got Tigris? Lucky! They finally did something with your industry besides headlamps and jumpsuits. Did you see what she did with District Eight last year? With the feathers? That was one of her best, but I'd have to say that this one won."

"Gosh, Peter, I never knew you were so gay!" says the other guy.

Another girl from their district speaks next. "Daemon, just because our little friend Peter has a passion for fashion doesn't necessarily mean that he's gay. Besides, that's insulting gay people, and it's also a stereotype, and stereotypes are stupid. But in this case it might be true…"

"Oh shut up, Kelly," Peter retorts.

They all laugh. I like these kids. Maysilee then tells them the story about the chocolate, Tigris accusing us of cannibalism, and the horror of having to clean the chocolate off of me. She's a good story-teller, and Eleven is laughing really hard when a voice comes over the loudspeaker.

"Tributes, the doors are about to open. Please make sure you are in your chariots. Have a good time!"

"Hey! District Twelve!" We turn and find Tigris running up to us. "Don't smile. Act majestic. Like you're better than this, because you are. The Capitol sucks. Okay?" We nod in assent.

Wow. Did one of the most famous victors of all time just diss the Capitol? I'm really starting to like Tigris. She runs to the back door, proabably to go get a good seat.

District 1 is rolling out, looking very cool and covered in gems as usual. 2 looks tough and downright scary. 3 is just nerdy like every year, dressed as robots. 4 is in their typical mermaid-trident-seahorse costume. 5 is better than average, wearing tight glittery clothing. 6 is dressed as cars for transportation. Never try to dress a human as a car. 7 is trees. Wow. What a surprise. 8 is wearing nothing but yarn. Literally. _Nothing_ but yarn. 9 is dressed in outfits made of wheat woven together. I spot Esmerelda and her creepy azure eyes. 10 is cowboys and cowgirls. Now 11 is rolling out, dressed as farmers, waving to us. We're next.

"Okay guys, let's do this!"

Our chariot is riding out. I hear an intake of breath from the crowd, then wild cheering. The entire Capitol is screaming with approval at District Twelve, probably for the first time in the history of Panem.

"DISTRICT TWELVE! DISTRICT TWELVE!"

The crowd is chanting as we pull into the square. I wink at Tigris. The tributes are staring at us with mixed emotions-approval, envy, loathing, and shock. 1 and 2 look particularly hateful, because District 12 of all places stole the attention from them. We look straight ahead, like the audience is below us.

And the audience _is_ below us. Because we are more than the Capitol. We are more than their stupid fashions and their futile attempts to subdue us. After all, who can beat hot people dressed as gods of coal mining?

**A/N: Hello again! This is one more author's note. For your convenience, I've made a list of the tributes' names because I'm bored. Here they are!**

**District**

**Male**

**Male**

**Female**

**Female**

**1**

**Roran Skungall**

**Diamond Maligna**

**Ivey McCormick**

**Topaz Stalactite**

**2**

**Ares Wendall**

**Kahn Moraki**

**Dana Rubinson**

**Cecelia Fenbatt**

**3**

**Flint Walker**

**Robert Segway**

**Bevel Joulessly**

**Aria Cellomen**

**4**

**Jonah Presley**

**Paco Kantum**

**Rachel Parsonsville**

**Marina Bradley**

**5**

**Sparkes Vinshum**

**Wireson Darrhick**

**Electra Hatruk**

**Crackle Stevensson**

**6**

**Rider Grenwich**

**Gustavo Sloxanborg**

**Emily Laverton**

**Evangelia Edwarpo**

**7**

**Oak Barkon**

**Norman Leafley**

**Cedar Raffen**

**Shelby Lumberton**

**8**

**Samuel Hawthorne**

**Erik Feather**

**Lila Hamilpon**

**Mary Kingsley**

**9**

**James Freckhide**

**Donner Blitzen**

**Autumn Raffin**

**Esmerelda Traitum**

**10**

**Mark Fernando**

**Logan Destiny**

**Bailey Braxton**

**Meg Martini**

**11**

**Daemon Ferrell**

**Peter Zucchini**

**Ash Willamstead**

**Kelly Basher**

**12**

**Haymitch Abernathy**

**Taylor Wetsell**

**Maysilee Donner**

**Sage Baxter**

**After each chapter since the Bloodbath, I will post this and delete each person who dies. **


	9. Training Day 1: The Trouble With Blondes

**Chapter 9: Training Day 1 - The Trouble With Blondes**

"So. Training."

Me, Callie, and the other tributes are gathered around a table for breakfast, slowly munching on donuts and bacon and fruit. This is our second strategy meeting, on the first day of training. All of us are staring at Callie expectantly, hoping she'll give us some revolutionary piece of advice.

"Yeah. Training."

"Okay, so what about training?"

Callie snaps out of her little trance. "Oh yeah. Okay. This year is going to require some special instructions, since there's forty-eight of you. I would say to appear mediocre, but that's what everyone is going to do. So play it different this time. I know this sounds crazy, but make yourself a target of the Careers. That will cause them to follow you around in the arena. Lure them in and make a trap to catch them. So this morning, go out there and show them what you got. And also, make sure you check out the edible foods station. It could be life saving. There's some training clothes on your beds, now go put them on."

I exit the dining room and head to my room. On my bed is a black t-shirt with _District 12 – Haymitch Abernathy _on it_,_ and tight black pants. I change, then get on the elevator with Maysilee and Callie. "Um, Haymitch?" Callie says. "Yeah?"

"When you're in there, take your shirt off. Show off your muscles. Be snarky and arrogant like you usually are, but be even more cocky."

"Okay." This should be interesting...

"I'm dreading this," Maysilee says glumly. I raise my eyebrows.

"Why? Because the Careers will pound you?" I ask, smirking.

"No, you idiot. Because I'm tired."

I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm tired too. Tired of looking at you."

"Then don't look at me!"

"Fine!"

"You looked at me!" Maysilee exclaims.

"Will you quit bugging me?" I say, starting to get annoyed. Honestly, will this girl ever shut up?

"When you quit looking at me!"

"I'm not!" I protest.

"Yeah you are!"

"No I am not!"

"Yeah you are! How many fingers am I holding up?"

"One, and it's not a very good finger to be holding up!"

"See? That means you're looking at me!"

"Because you asked me to!"

"So? Since when -"

"Guys, shut up, half the Training Center is staring at you!" Callie hisses.

I realize that the elevator door is open, and she's right. A lot of people are staring. I feel the color pink starting to blotch onto my cheeks.

"Okay, run along. I'm going to a one-way window with the other mentors to watch you. I actually don't think I was supposed to tell you that. Oh, well. Hey, one more thing. You and Maysilee should stick together."

We start to protest, but she puts her hand up.

"You guys look good together. You're both ferocious. And very annoying to mentor. Now go. Have fun. Haymitch, get that shirt off. Maysilee, tie yours up a bit so your stomach is showing. Remember, you have to be arrogant. Snarky. Eager to show off."

Callie walks out of the room. I reluctantly obey her and take it off, and Maysilee ties hers up.

I highly doubt that putting Maysilee and I together around sharp objects is a very good idea, especially after our encounter on the train. Yeah, I guess she's my friend, but still, sticking together during training probably won't end well.

"Let's start at knife throwing," says Maysilee.

"Fine, but next we're going to axes."

We walk over to the knife station, where a rowdy circle of knife-throwers from 1,2, and 4 are hooting and hollering like they own this place. Other tributes are cringing and cowering every time they pass them.

_Snarky and arrogant. _

Me and Maysilee burst into the middle of the circle of Career knife-throwers. The Careers are looking shocked that someone would _dare _interrupt them. I suppress a fit of laughter because of the animated expressions they throw at us.

"Oh hello there, kids!" I say jovially, like I'm talking to a class of kindergartners. "Looks like we have a few amateurs to teach, Maysilee."

I knew that would really get to them, and sure enough, they look really offended. Maysilee steps forward and yanks about two dozen knives out of District 1's hand. "We'll show you how it's really done – District 12 style. MOVE!" She shoves a few Careers back.

Maysilee backs about twenty feet away from the target. Quite a few people have gathered around to watch this mysterious challenger of the Careers.

I hold my breath, willing Maysilee to amaze them. If she messes up, we could become the laughingstock of the tributes...

She throws the knives deftly in a quick succession toward the target. When she's done, everyone steps forward to see what she did.

The knives in the target spell "D12". District 12. I gasp. I knew she was good, but I didn't know she was _that_ good. If I didn't know her, I might mistake her as a Career.

All the spectators except for the Careers start clapping. The glares on the Careers' faces begin to grow more prominent. One guy from 4 starts applauding, then a girl from 1 slaps him, and he stops.

"Well?" the blonde, amber-eyed, gorgeous girl who slapped the boy says, arching her thin eyebrows. "C'mon, curly." She gestures at me. "Show us that you can match your prissy little girlfriend."

"Gladly," I say, shooting her a mock-friendly smile. "I'm Haymitch, by the way, and my 'prissy little girlfriend' is Maysilee. As if you had the right to call anyone prissy, Miss Sexy," I say cockily. Her expression shifts from bitterness to curiosity. Honestly, I can flatter a lot of girls without much trouble, but District One is just too easy. Every one of the Careers' eyebrows raises to their hairline skeptically.

I knock two glistening axes from some District Two girl's hand and head over to another dummy. The crowd follows me, to my relief, gazing at me eagerly. I wink in their general direction.

I back away to the opposite wall of the room, about twenty-five yards, praying to whatever god is out there.

"Think, Haymitch. Think."

I transfer one of the axes to my other hand and raise my arms back. I center my eyes on the target, throw my arms in front of me and release the axes. I resist the urge to cover my eyes. They go spinning through the air, and sure enough, they land side by side, lodged in the dummy's head. I sigh with relief, and everyone cheers wildly.

_This is working. This is actually working!_

As far as I can tell, the Careers look impressed, envious even. I jog back over to the crowd, high-fiving the tributes. That blonde girl from District 1 steps forward.

"Well, hello District Twelve. Looks like we've actually got some decent ones this year." she muses in a quiet, snake-like voice. Something about her condescending tone makes me feel as if I were forced to obey her. And that's saying something.

"My name is Topaz. District 1. _Leader_ of the Careers," she emphasizes the 'leader' part elaborately, obviously trying to make it clear that she's the boss.

"We can see you have some skills, skills that might even come close to our level. We could use some of that in the arena. You can be, shall we say...our apprentices. Not only do you have the talent, you two also have the confidence and the attitude, not to mention the looks. I never thought I would ever say this to someone from District _Twelve_ of all places, but...do you want to join the Careers?"

I glance at Maysilee. She makes a little slicing motion over her throat, then disguises it as a prissy hair flip. I nod in understanding. "Thanks, but if we had the choice between joining you or having you slit our throats, by all means we would implore you to take your knife and slice away at our necks," I chide arrogantly.

Topaz's serpentine face darkens. "Think I will." She grabs a sword and strides toward me menacingly.

Oh god. This is not good...an encounter with an angry Career never ends well...

"What? You too scared to give me a weapon to make it a fair fight?" I tease with a smirk, trying to hide my nerves. She can't know I'm nervous, not now...

"THAT'S IT! YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

Topaz throws her sword to the side and lunges at me, tackling me and pinning me in a headlock. She punches my stomach over and over again, sending jolts of agony through my body. I retaliate and knee her in the gut. She gasps, the wind knocked out of her, though she obviously tries to hide it. "Mmm…" Topaz murmurs seductively, running her fingers down my bare chest. "You're not too bad…what fun we could have with you if you weren't about to DIE!"

She punches me even harder, but I slap her face and roll on top of her. I can hear the tributes cheering and hooting, taunting both of us with glee. I feel Maysilee's eyes pouring into me, willing me to kill Topaz.

Topaz claws at me with her long, sharp nails, while I keep punching her, leaving a light black and purple mark blot around both of her amber eyes. She scrapes my arm, leaving a big gash that stings like hell. I punch Topaz in the temple. She tries to strangle me with her golden hair, but I push her off.

"ARRGGHH!" When she realizes that I'm stronger than her, she dives to the side, grabs a knife, pins me down, and is about to slit my throat when someone lifts her off of me. I look up and see two Peacekeepers dragging her out of the Training Floor, kicking and screaming. "I WILL KILL YOU, DISTRICT TWELVE! I WILL KILL YOU! YOU'RE GONNA BE THE FIRST ONE WE TARGET IN THE BLOODBATH! I HATE YOU! YOU SUCK! YOU ARE SO DEAD! ARGGHH!" The Peacekeepers shove her out the door.

Now every single one of the tributes is gawking at me. Shame wells up inside of me.I shouldn't have provoked her like that, I knew I had it coming. I'm about to lower my head and shuffle back to the elevator, but then it starts.

Sparkes, the District Five guy from the elevator, is clapping. Then the rest of District 5 starts. Then 11 and the others from 12 are clapping. Soon, everyone is clapping and cheering except for the Careers, who are trying to shoot me a deathly glare, but can barely hide their glee at their prideful master being defeated.

I can't help but think back to that one day in school, when everyone was applauding me for my outburst at Honeybutt, when getting expelled was the worst of my worries.

But through all the cheering and pride welling up, I know one thing for sure.

I am so dead.


	10. We Dump Ice Cream on Seneca Crane's Head

**Chapter 10: We Dump Ice Cream on Seneca Crane's Head**

A/N: **Hello, humans! I've noticed that that number of people reading and/or favoriting this story has SKYROCKETED. I know I said this last time, but thank you so much! Since I'm an amateur, every review counts, so please consider writing one.**

**This is one of my favorite chapters out of the whole story so far. Happy reading!**

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_8 HOURS LATER_

"YOU IDIOT!" Callie slams her fist on the table, just missing her plate of stew. "What in your right mind made you think that was the wise thing to do?" she yells. I scoff. "Um, yeah, WHO told me to make myself a target of the Careers?" Callie's eyes widen. "I didn't mean deliberately pound their leader and make them hate you with all their hearts and souls! Did you hear Topaz? You will be the first one they target in the Bloodbath! Not to mention more than half of the Career mentors refuse to speak to me, and are instructing their tributes to go after you! I never knew a son of mine could be so stupid. Get out of here. I can't even look at you. You are a disgrace to your family."

Everyone is staring at her in shock. None of us had ever heard her speak to us like that. I throw my dinner knife in the wall, which sticks perfectly, then I walk up to the roof to gain some sanity. I sit down with my feet hanging over the edge and just start to think.

I hate to admit it, but that part about me being stupid and a disgrace to my family really hurt, especially coming from my own mom.

_Mom._

When has she ever been a mother to me? All my life she's spent her days sleeping, drinking, or throwing wine bottles at us. She was only good when she was sober. But yet again, she was never sober. She said that she sobers up for every Hunger Games, so I shouldn't feel very special. So she'll sober up for talking to a bunch of kids who are guaranteed to die, but not for me and Johnny?

Then I realize something. No matter how good of a mentor she is, I will never forgive her for what she's done to me and my brother. She's selfishly spent all of her money on booze, while the rest of her family was starving. We had to learn how to fend for ourselves with not one tiny little piece of advice from Mom except for "Shut up." I think she drinks because she's sad about Dad dying, when he was hung for poaching. She misses him – we all do, but would Dad really want her to abandon us like that?

Anger courses through me, and I take a flower pot and chuck it over the roof, waiting for it to fall on some Capitolite's stupid head. Suddenly, the pot whizzes back up and above the roof. "OW!" I hear a crash. I look up to see the lean figure of Sage Baxter walking toward me, rubbing her forehead. "Is it me? Or did the ground just throw a pot at my face?" I laugh. "Yes, Sage. A Capitolite hates you, so she threw that at your head to try and kill you. No, it was a force field, I think." She plops down next to me. "Okay, but you're getting me a bandage. So what's on your mind? You look pretty depressed." To most people I would say I'm fine, but Sage has been one of my best friends since I was 5. I can tell her absolutely anything, and she won't make fun of me. Sometimes I just need a person like that to spill everything out to.

"Well, it's just that, um, I'm mad at Callie. Not particularly for what she just said to me, but, like, she's just always been such an awful mother to me and Johnny. I would win an award, and she would say 'Yeah, yeah, whazz off and go do the dishes' or when we would scrape up a month's worth of wages for a present for her birthday, she would see it and go 'Are you kidding me? That thing is so pathetic that a rat could crap on it and it would still have the same quality'. These things would make me so angry. The way she neglected us like that. I can never forgive her for what she's done to us. And now, here I am, her own son off to a competition to fight to the death, and she doesn't give a crap."

Sage rubs my back. "Haymitch, I can tell you're holding something back. You can say whatever you want, because what happens on the roof stays on the roof."

I feel a single tear slide down my cheek. That was what I was holding back. "And now, I'm thinking about Artemis. Exactly who I wanted to avoid thinking about. I just miss her too much. I promised her that I would come back no matter what it takes. But there are 48 people, Sage._ 48 people. _Even though I'm good with an axe, there are 12 Careers who are all planning on targeting me. I've tried not to think about the Hunger Games during this whole process, but we aren't here to wear flashy outfits and eat rich food. We're here to kill each other, to _entertain _people. To die a slow painful death while the crowd watches and laughs. This is just _wrong, _Sage. It's just so sick! How will I ever make it back home? Because if I do, you and Maysilee and Taylor will be all gone and I don't want that, I just want to go home and live my life!"

Tears are now pouring down my cheeks. Wow. It's the second time I've ever cried in about ten years. Should this be a milestone or something? See, I would be humiliated if I were crying in front of anyone else (besides Artemis) except for Sage. She's just the kind of girl you don't have to be nervous around.

It's a little awkward having this conversation with her about getting home because if I do, she will have to die.

Even so, she still comforts me with her logic. "Aw, Haymitch, don't cry, buddy. I can't say I'm not worried either, but I know I'm gonna die at some point. I mean, I'm good at climbing and archery, but that won't last me very long, now would it? Not with the Careers and everything. But you're different, Haymitch. Everyone saw you with your axes, and fighting Topaz, and you were amazing. The odds are in your favor, I swear. Use the fact that the Careers are targeting you to your advantage. Make a trap. Outsmart them, I know you can. You're cunning and resourceful, and I'm not just saying that. I've known you for eleven years now, and you're honestly the smartest guy I know. Most of the Careers are all brawn, no brains. They just strut around the arena without a care in the world. You're stronger than they are."

Wow. That felt pretty good. I guess Sage is right, in a way. I'm pretty good with an axe, but I never knew how smart she thought I was. But what she was really right about is the Careers. They really do just strut around like they own the arena.

I decide to ask one question that's been nagging me this entire trip. "Sage?" "Yeah?" "Why did you volunteer for Artemis?"

Sage sighs and pauses, evidently trying to plan out her words. "It's just, well, you know how she's been my best friend since we first entered school?" It's true. Sage and her younger sisters were abandoned by their parents when she was about five. They've been fending for themselves ever since, and she befriended Artemis at school. They were inseperable. "I guess I just couldn't stand the thought of her having to leave you. For you guys to be separated. It wasn't fair. It was just all wrong. In the heat of the moment, I couldn't stop myself. My sisters can work for themselves now. But I never dreamed that you would get reaped. That's why my plan became such a waste."

So she volunteered for Artemis because she loved her so much? I don't think District 12 has ever seen a person so generous. She sacrificed herself for her friend and…for me. Sage said that she couldn't stand the thought of Artemis and I being apart. Because it isn't fair. I can't even find the words to describe how grateful I am for what she did, or tried to do, so I just come out and say it.

"Sage…thank you." She smiles. "Anytime, Haymitch. Anytime. Hey, want to order some chocolate ice cream to cheer you up?" I grin. "I think you already know the answer to that question."

So we order a big bucket of chocolate ice cream and simply scoop it into our mouths with spoons, not bothering to use bowls.

"Need help finishing that off?" says the good-natured voice of Taylor Wetsell. We turn around, and Taylor and Maysilee are standing behind us looking jolly as ever. The only thing that seems out of place is the fact that both of them have blood running down their faces. "I've got to hear how this happened." I say, clucking my tongue and shaking my head. They plop down on either side of us, grab spoons, and start digging in. Maysilee speaks first.

"Yeah, so after you and Sage left, Callie started droning on about how much she hates you. So after a while me and Taylor got fed up, and we started yelling at her about how you're a good guy and everything." Taylor talks next. "So then she's getting pretty angry, right? She started yelling back at us, and eventually she threw a wine glass at Maysilee, who called Callie the b-word. I blocked it for her, which is how I got this big gash." "Then, she threw another one, which hit me that time. That's when me and Taylor decided to escape and hang out with you guys." I chuckle. "So Maysilee, you were defending the fact that I'm a good guy?" Maysilee smirks. "Well, maybe I twisted the truth a little when I was yelling at her. But she was just going too far. I mean, she called you about twenty swear words."

I guess these people really do have my back. "I hate to admit it, but you guys are awesome friends." "Well I wouldn't call you a friend, more like a random acquaintance that I am generally neutral about," Maysilee jokes.

I decide to bring up the force field. "There's a force field below us, you know. Whatever hits it comes straight back up. "Darn it!" Maysilee says. "We were all planning to murder you by pushing you off! Great, now we have to deal with you in the arena." "Oh, shut up. What I mean is that the bottom of the force field is about an inch above the heads of the people below. What if we dump the rest of the ice cream right above a pedestrian's head and make them flip out?" "Heck, yeah!" Everyone seems to like the plan. "Look, it's Seneca Crane!" Taylor exclaims. The Head Gamemaker is sauntering down the sidewalk. "Let's do this!" I grab the bucket of ice cream and toss the contents over the roof and peer down to see the effect. Seneca sees it coming and screams, flailing his arms around. Then, with perfect timing, the ice cream bounces back up, and we catch it in the bucket. Seneca Crane looks mortified, and everyone else walking by is staring at him like he's crazy. We all burst out laughing. "YES! Exactly the kind of humiliation a Gamemaker deserves!"

We spend the rest of the night pointing out notable politicians and making them freak out. One of the best was when the Career mentors strolled out of a bar, looking snazzy but very tipsy, and when we dumped the ice cream they started screaming and running around like headless chickens. One of them, who I know to be Topaz's mentor had a knife in her hand and was drunkenly trying to block the ice cream before it whizzed back up. It's so easy to make important people lose their dignity, simply with the help of a force field and a bucket of ice cream.

I'll bet none of the other tributes in the history of the Games have ever had so much fun.


	11. Training Day 2: I Am So Popular

**Chapter 11: Training Day 2: I Am So Popular**

A/N: 'Ello there! Thanks to Sharkbait 95 for another review. Reviews brighten up my day :D

I don't know if I'm supposed to write this in my author's note or not, but I'm just gonna say that I've been reading _Unintended _by Caisha702, and I am HOOKED! Check it out soon, it's like Paylor's full story! :D Okay okay, well here's the next chapter.

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"And you should have seen the look on Seneca Crane's face when the ice cream flew back up! He looked like a retarded gorilla!"

"Well, it suits him!"

It's breakfast on the second day of training, and we're recounting to Tigris the events of last night. Tigris seems to find it hilarious, while Kolonpi, who never showed up for meals yesterday, is alternating between lecturing us and laughing with us, which makes it all the more funnier. Taylor keeps telling the story. "Yeah, and then Brutus that victor from 2 walked by, so we dumped-"

"Hello, everyone."

Callie strolls in, the lamp light reflecting off her scraggly blonde hair, met with nothing but silence and glares. She sits down awkwardly as we stare at her, waiting for her to say what she needs to say.

"Oh, all right. I'm really sorry about what happened last night. I was really drunk, and I shouldn't have said those things about Haymitch. And sorry about throwing the wine glasses at Taylor and Maysilee. You happy now?"

No, as a matter of fact I am _not_ happy now. It was pretty obvious she just said that because she wanted us to quit glaring at her. Well, ha ha. Not working. Nevertheless, Sage immediately drops her grudge. "It's okay, Callie. We all know you never meant any of the things you said. You're an awesome mentor!" She runs up to Callie and gives her a big hug. Ugh. Sage is awesome, but that girl can be so forgiving that it gets annoying.

Taylor lightens up a bit, but me and Maysilee are still frowning. Callie should have controlled herself, even if she was flat-out drunk. I don't really care about the insults, it's the deliberately hurting my friends that makes me furious.

Callie grins. "Thanks, you guys. Now, let's discuss training again. Haymitch and Maysilee, you've already done a pretty good job of making yourselves targets of the Careers, even if it went just a bit too far. But nothing you do can hurt you now. Sage and Taylor are the problem. Are you four allies?"

We all simultaneously say "Yeah." Hmph. Apparently we must have an unspoken agreement about this.

Callie continues on. "Okay. Well, if you're allied with Maysilee and Haymitch, the Careers will obviously target you, too. Don't bother the Careers like they did yesterday; it would just get old. Instead, just act really rowdy and draw a lot of attention to yourselves. The four of you should stick together this time, and split up every now and then. And make absolute sure you learn about edible plants and fire starters. Oh yeah – do you guys like 5 and 11?" We nod in assent. They seem pretty cool.

"Good, because the four from 5 and 11 have both requested you four to be their allies. I want you to team up with them." Taylor gasps. "But there will be 12 of us then!" A grin spreads across my face. "Yeah, just like the Careers. We can be like the opposite of them." Callie nods. "Exactly. Plus, some will die in the Bloodbath. Then you'll be left with only the strongest ones in the alliance, maybe about eight or nine of you. I just hope no one from Twelve will die in the Bloodbath, because that would really suck. Okay, go put on your Training stuff and head down to the training floor. Same drill with the shirts as yesterday, except let Taylor and Sage in on it too, okay?"

We put on our training clothes and instruct Taylor and Sage to take off or tie up their shirts. We all do so, and then we head down to the elevator. We ride down the floors without interruption until the elevator stops at floor 5. The door opens, and the friendly tributes from 5 saunter in.

"Well hello again!" says Sparkes. "Meet Crackle and Wireson." We wave hello to the two gingers. "Did you get our ally request?" asks Crackle. "Yeah," says Maysilee. "And we accept. Is it okay that 11 is in the group, too?" "Yeah, that's fine!" chimes Electra. "The more the merrier!" Wireson adds. God, how are these people so friendly? It must be a District 5 thing. "So we're gonna be like an anti-Career alliance. You know, fighting for everything good and just and all that jazz?" The D5 tributes light up. "Heck, yeah! We hate the Careers. They are bloodthirsty, cruel, vicious, unnecessarily mean, violent, despicable, brutal –"

Electra is interrupted when the elevator stops at floor 1. "Wow, Taboo much?" says Maysilee. "Wait, I have a plan," I say."Just hold down the lock button." Crackle holds it down. We hear voices and scuffling from the other side of the door. "What the hell?" We hear the unmistakable voice of Topaz snarl. "Roran, why is it doing this?" "I don't know, babe." A masculine voice answers. "Hold on, let me try it," A higher voice says. "Yeah, like you're gonna do any good, Ivey." "What, you wanna go?" "Sorry, wouldn't want to waste my time pounding you." "Guys, shut up, we are trying to work the freaking elevator!" We laugh and snicker at the heated argument. "Hey!" Topaz calls. "Who's in there?" I answer, "Districts 12 and 5. Sorry, you're not cool enough to join the amazing awesome elevator of awesomeness." "Hey, let us in! The other elevator isn't working!" "Whazz off, Diamond, we wouldn't want to be in an elevator with those freaks anyway." "But how else will we get down to the training floor?" "BYE!" We call as the elevator shoots down. I hear lots of screaming and protesting, and we laugh even harder. The doors open to the training floor. "I love how they don't have the patience for the elevator to go back up to their floor in ten seconds." Wireson comments. "Maybe they can wait a little longer." I reply. I press the lock button 3 times. "Now the elevator won't go up to floor 1 for an hour!" We burst out laughing.

"Hey, want to go down to the edible foods station? I'm starving." "What, you think you'll find some of Greasy Sae's soup there?" "I don't think that qualifies as an edible food." "Hey, let's go to the climbing station!" suggests Sparkes. We walk over to the giant rope net. It turns out that Sage and Sparkes are equally skilled climbers, and a big crowd comes and watches them race, betting on who will win. Not that they have any money, I don't think. Sage is victorious by about one second, but a challenger from 6 named Rider steps up, and he beats Sage. Finally, Cedar from 7 beats Rider, and she's declared the supreme climber of the 50th Hunger Games. Well, duh. District 7. Tree climber.

Next, 11 meets up with us. We, 5, and 11 head over to the camouflage station. A lot of people say I'm a really good painter, so I decide to take requests for things I should paint. My masterpiece turns out to be President Snow dancing with a monkey who is drinking beer while running across a landscape that a guy named Erik describes as District 8, while getting chased by panda bears eating chocolate ice cream nevertheless having a splendid time. Everyone seems to be pretty impressed, and I notice the Gamemakers in the balcony above gawking at us. I pick out Seneca Crane and wink at him. He glares at me, and evidently he figured out it was District 12 that dumped the ice cream on him last night. It's lunchtime after this, so we all head down to a room packed with tables and chairs and stuff ourselves with potatoes, chicken, and exotic fruit.

We don't have any trouble finding company. In fact, we seem to be some of the most popular tributes. We sit with 5 and 11, and we also make friends with Bevel, Robert, Flint, and Aria from 3. Apparently they love to invent things. Before the Reaping, Bevel was working on a machine that detects the presence of Peacekeepers so that people know when to hide while causing trouble. Most people think that District 3 is just shy nerds, but this group of kids seems pretty naughty. Flint is the biggest trouble maker in the district, and he suspects they drew his name on purpose to get rid of him. Aria and Robert are a happy couple with a lot of tesserae and had the misfortune of getting reaped together. I almost consider requesting an alliance with them, but that would be 16 people – that's too much.

I notice that District 1 has finally made it off the elevator. All the Careers are whispering and glaring at us. For whatever reason, they seem pretty jealous.

But what do I care? I'm one of the most popular tributes in the Games.


	12. Interviews: 100 Percent Stupid

**Chapter 12: Interviews:100% Stupidity**

**A/N: 'Ello there! I'm really sorry I couldn't update yesterday. I was super busy, plus this computer was having some problems. I hope you like this chapter! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this so far! :D Remember to check out my story **_**Tail of a Fox**_**, which I will update tomorrow. Thanks also to the people who have sent kind PMs to me. I love PMs! Okay, enough blabber, happy reading!**

**By the way, please check out the poll on my profile page! It will make Haymitch very happy :D**

**One more thing - in chapter 8, I listed the tributes. Some of the names have been changed, and I also added last names. Haymitch will automatically know their names in the story.**

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Training Day 3 also went really well. It was the same drill – we show off, have competitions, mock the Careers, humiliate the Careers, eat lunch, show off, compete, humiliate the Careers some more. We finally got around to the edible plant station, but Taylor ate everything because he was "craving tree bark".

The private training sessions went even better. I showed off some of my best moves with knives and axes, and the Gamemakers seemed impressed. Maysilee got a 10, Sage got a 9, Taylor got a 9, and I got a 10. Topaz got an 11. I hate that girl so much.

Now we're getting ready to be coached by Callie and Kolonpi for our interviews. Me and Maysilee are waiting restlessly while Taylor and Sage get coached. We're pretty much just sitting on bean bags and eating a strange wobbly translucent blue mixture they call Jello.

Maysilee sighs. "It's been two hours. How hard can getting coached for an interview be?"

I hear a scream and a crash. "YOU IDIOT!" "Really? Why don't _you_ try walking in eleven-inch heels?"

"Apparently very hard," I answer.

Sage strolls out of her room, calm but obviously a little agitated, followed by Kolonpi, whose face is purple with rage. "Sage, what happened?" She grimaces. "Ask the octopus." Sage then sits down at our table casually, popping a cube of Jello in her mouth and twirling her raven-black hair. "Mm, what is this interesting slime?" Kolonpi giggles and plasters a huge smile on her fishy face. "Okay, that went well! Haymitch, why don't you come in?"

Oh god. This won't turn out good. I put a little pout on my face and follow her into my room. Sage pats my back. "Try not to die, although it would be better than experiencing what I just did." she whispers. So she's going to put me in high heels? Wow, good luck with that, Kolonpi.

She closes the door and starts to squeak with excitement. "Let's get right down to business, shall we? Now, when on stage, a man must show proper poise. When-"

My attention span is completely lost by then. "Poised" is like exactly what I'm not and never want to be. I suddenly realize how exhausted I am. Right now would be the perfect opportunity to take a nap. I look over at Kolonpi, who is cheerfully babbling on and on about proper posture. I should be able to get at least an hour of sleep before she starts freaking on me. I close my eyes and let myself slip into fuzzy dreams.

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"And then she was like 'oh no you didn't' and then she was like 'oh yes I did' and then I was like…"

I open my eyes and see that Kolonpi has taken on a gossipy angry persona, yapping about what she and some of her prissy little Capitol friends did yesterday. I yawn and stretch my arms, leaning over to check the clock.

It's been two hours. I need to get out of here before my brain explodes.

"Kolonpi, I completely sympathize with you. She should _so _not of said that to you. I mean, you are so much better than them. You're just so kind, hospitable, good-natured – who couldn't love you? In fact, they are so wrong that I think they should be told off for saying that. Want me to go teach them a lesson?"

A giant grin lights up her face. "Yes, Haymitch, that would be wonderful!" She tells me the addresses of all her stupid buddies. "Don't worry, Madam Kolonpi, you will not be disappointed." I wink and make my escape. That was _way _too easy.

I find Sage and Taylor at the table where I was before. They immediately jump up and greet me. "Did you survive? What happened? Did she force you into stilettos?" "I don't know. I fell asleep!" They gape at me, then burst out laughing. "Wow, Haymitch! Only you would be able to do that." "No, I think anyone could. She was basically telling me the life story of every one of her retarded little disciples." Taylor pouts. "Lucky. She was crying about her latest breakup during my session. Honestly, I feel very happy for her ex-boyfriend." We snicker.

Callie strolls in with Maysilee. It looks like they have been fighting. Maysilee has another black eye, while Callie has claw marks on her face and arms. "Gee, you two look like you had fun. I have to hear how this happened!" says Sage. Maysilee scoffs. "Yeah, tell that to the dimwit who started hassling me!" Callie sighs. "Haymitch, just come with me." She leads me into my room.

"Okay. We need to figure out what your interview angle should be. You know, like what attitude you should have when Caesar's asking you questions." I roll my eyes. "Wow, no way." "Yeah, no way you'll get sponsors if you don't listen to me. Now, let's try different personas on you. For this one, be vicious. I'll be Caesar.

" Now, Haymitch, what are you looking forward most to in the arena?" "Umm…killing everyone who gets in my way. Um…grrrrr!" I awkwardly growl.

Callie clucks her tongue and shakes her head. "Absolutely not. Okay, try being cute and sweet. Haymitch, what are you looking forward most to in the arena?" "Um…making new friends and being on TV!" "Ew, no. Okay, scratch that. Be vicious again. What are you looking forward to in the arena?" "Death and blood." "No, now you just sound Emo. Now just try being yourself. What are you looking forward to in the arena?" "Cutting out everyone else's brains. Oh, wait, you can't cut out what everyone else doesn't have."

Callie laughs. "YES! Perfect! Just be snarky and arrogant like you were during training. Speaking of training, I noticed you are really popular, and your alliance is just as powerful as the Careers. 5 is really good with flails and swords, and 11 is good with archery and sickles. Sparkes and Electra from 5, Ash and Daemon from 11, and you and Maysilee are probably the strongest in the alliance. Even better is that there are no weak links. Just keep up the good work. Stay here; your prep team will be with you in a few minutes." Callie walks out, her wavy blond ponytail streaming behind her.

The door suddenly bursts open. "HI!" Fannigus shrieks. Apparently he must have missed me. "We have the most wonderful outfit for your interview!" squeaks Manilda. "Yes, and I'm already picturing a wonderful hair style for you." says Effie quietly. I'm still admiring how she doesn't squeal or shriek or yell every time she talks, when suddenly the prep team attacks me and pulls off my clothes.

Next thing I know, my skin is glowing, my hair is swept to the side, and my nails are carved into perfectly uniform shapes. Tigris comes in. "Hello, Haymitch! It's good to style you again. I can't wait to see how you look in your outfit!" She comes in with a black bag. "Same drill – close your eyes." I obey her and let her put on the clothes. "Open."

I stand in front of a mirror, and all I can think is _wow_. I'm wearing comfortable black pants the color of coal. My button-up shirt is made of a shiny red material, and it's unbuttoned a bit, revealing my chest. My hair is a bit messy and swept to the side. I know it doesn't sound that exciting, but the way it reflects the light makes it look downright gorgeous. It fits my interview angle exactly. Arrogant, smooth, and relaxed.

Tigris gasps. "Oh my god, Haymitch, it looks better on you than I ever imagined!" I smile at her. "Yet another amazing work by Tigris Marrow." We walk out into the hall to see the others.

And of course, they all look amazing. This time, we aren't matching. Taylor is in a dark green and black suit, with a bit of coal dust matting his white-blonde hair. Sage is dressed in a strapless dark purple gown, with a black glittery fabric around her waist embellished with amethysts. When she moves, the fabric swishes and shimmers around her feet. But I'd have to say my favorite outfit would be Maysilee's.

Obviously her costume presents one angle: Rebellious. Her strapless turquoise falls down to her knees, with a black band tight around her waist. Her legs are donned in what I think is called fishnet stockings. Leather black gloves cover her hands and forearms, blue and black armbands surround her upper arms, and she wears a black tiara embellished with sapphires. Her blonde hair is straight and adorned with coal dust and turquoise highlights. She is just _stunning_, and believe me, I never use stupid words like that to describe things.

She catches me staring, and she smirks. "Impressed? Well come on, hot guy, let's go!" We walk to the elevators and go down to the interview area where the other tributes are waiting. 5 and 11 run up and join us. "Wow, you all look amazing! I love the nuances of the coal, and the shimmer of the fabric reflects off the light so beautifully!" Pete gushes. Daemon rolls his eyes. "*cough* Gay! *cough*"

Pete humphs indignantly, then turns to District 5. "You all look amazing, too! I love how your outfits are, like, _sparkling _with electricity! It's like, so pretty!" Kelly snickers. "Daemon, I'd have to agree with you on this one." Crackle sighs. "Okay, now before we start arguing about gay rights, I think you might want to know that everyone else is going on stage right now!" "WHAT?" We sprint as fast as we can to the chairs on stage and try to take our places.

The Capitol audience laughs a bit at the sight of us running on to the stage. Oh. I didn't know that was the entrance to the stage itself. The bright neon lights blind my vision as I sit down, raise my eyebrows in condescendment, and smirk. The crowd wolf-whistles a bit at Maysilee's revealing dress, and she glares in the general direction of the whistlers. The anthem plays, then Caesar Flickerman enters, earning wild cheers from the crowd.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to the 50th Annual Hunger Games!" Everyone goes wild. I guess they can't wait for these dressed up children to start killing each other. Caesar says a few words, then the interviews begin. Topaz, looking very provocative in a tight golden gown, starts the ball rolling with a few cocky remarks and statements about being the leader of the Careers. The crowd seems to like her a lot. But the part that really made me angry is when Caesar asked "So what will be the first thing you do in the arena?" and she answered "Give Haymitch Abernathy a slow painful death." And the crowd oohed and ahhed. I'm beginning to think _we_ should be the ones targeting _her_.

The rest of the interviews go by in a blur. 5 is acting pretty cool. A girl from 8 named Mary is especially popular with the crowd, making jokes at the Careers' expense. 11 is downright hilarious, teasing each other and discussing Pete's fashion obsession. Maysilee is next, and she is sweet and vicious at the same time, which probably takes quite some skill. Sage is blunt but funny, which has the audience laughing. Taylor goes next, and he is officially the crowd's favorite. I knew he could be funny, but I have never seen him like this before. His perfect comic timing, his ability to not laugh at his own jokes—it was one of the most hilarious interviews I have ever seen in the Games.

But before I'm prepared, Taylor is walking back to the chairs, and I have to get up. _Cool and arrogant. _I smooth back my hair, swagger over to the chair, cross my legs, and lean back with a smirk like this is below me. To my surprise, I hear some girls cheer. I wink at them, and they scream even louder. "Well," I say, before Caesar can ask a question. "Hail to the Caesar." I get some laughs from the crowd at that pun. Caesar chuckles. "Well, hail to the Haymitch! Now, Haymitch, We've all heard that Topaz has a devious plan to target you. I've also heard about some drama on the training floor. Can you tell us about that?"

I cluck my tongue. "Oh, Topaz. I was just minding my own business when she asked me to join the Careers. I politely said no thank you, and she started clawing at me for no apparent reason. I managed to pry her off, and the Peacekeepers came and took her away. Maybe it's her way of saying that I'm hot, but she didn't have to be so violent about it." I'm doing everything I can to turn the sponsors away from that girl. I glance at Topaz, who is giving me the most malicious glare I have ever seen. "Now what do you plan on doing to her when you get into the arena?" says Caesar. "Well, I would tear out her brain, but even I'm not awesome enough to tear out what she doesn't have."

The crowd is now hysterical. I hear a girl scream, "I love you Haymitch!" I smirk and flip my hair. "Love you too, babe, but I already have a girl back home." "Can you tell us about her?" I look up to the ceiling and smile, like I'm picturing her. "Her name is Artemis, and she's the best girl anyone could ever have." Some girls in the crowd respond with "Awwww!"

Caesar grins. "Now, I'll bet she's hoping with all her heart that you will come home to her. But speaking of that, what do you think about having 100% more tributes than usual in this competition?" I smirk again. "Well they'll just be 100% as stupid as usual, so I figure my odds will be roughly the same."

I am now owning this crowd. The Capitol is shrieking with laughter. The buzzer goes off, and everyone is cheering wildly, to which I wink and grin at.

Ha. I guess I was right about being so popular. But as I slide Artemis's bracelet up and down my wrist, I'm wondering,

_What does Artemis think about the new me?_


	13. Return of the Creepy Psychic Girl

**Chapter 13: Return of the Creepy Psychic Girl**

**A/N: Hello! Guess what? NEXT CHAPTER IS THE BLOODBATH! YAHOO! Sorry, I'm a little over excited, but I've been planning out that chapter since the beginning of the story. Be excited; something VERY unexpected will happen (insert evil laugh here)**

**Next update Wednesday. Foxface update tomorrow. Happy reading! :D**

"So. Hunger Games. Ew." Maysilee says as we sit as a group of twelve for one last time perched on the roof with our allies from 5 and 11.

"Yeah," says Kelly. "Tell me about it."

"Amen. Okay, so we need to make a plan for where we need to meet up after the Bloodbath, assuming all of us survive. We also need to find a way to escape the Careers." comments Crackle.

I speak first. "Actually, what if we make it so the Careers need to escape us?" A devious grin starts to form across my face. Wireson frowns. "What do you mean? The Careers practically own the Bloodbath."

I continue on. "Exactly, my friend. So think about it. What have we taken from the Careers so far that was meant to be theirs? Popularity, skill, dignity, sponsors – the Careers were meant to be the head of the game. Normally, all anyone thinks during the Bloodbath is 'escape the Careers'. But this time, we need to make them run from _us. _Here's what we do:

" We station ourselves around the Cornucopia, so we also kind of have each others' backs. We face outwards and kill Careers and anyone who tries to kill us. We don't kill any innocent tributes. Once we have the Careers out, we split the remaining supplies among us and any other innocent tributes. Whoever in the alliance survives will meet wherever the Cornucopia points, about 100 yards in. It will be dangerous, and if I'm gonna be honest, a few of us might die. But if we die, we die playing the Games on our own terms. We don't die like we're supposed to, like helpless idiots fleeing the Careers. We die with honor, okay?"

Everyone is blankly staring or gaping at me. Uh oh. Maybe the plan wasn't as good as I thought it sounded. "I'm in." I turn around and see Maysilee speaking in our little circle. "We can't let the Careers get what they want." I flash her a grateful grin. "If anyone else agrees, raise your hand." Everyone does, to my relief. "Great," I say. "Now, 11 and 5, we're gonna show you how to have fun like a District Twelve tribute."

I ignore their confused glances, press a button near a wall, and order ten buckets of chocolate ice cream. And – you guessed it – we once again tossed it over the wall at notable Capitol citizens. We end up attacking the Career mentors again, who are even more drunk. This time, they thought it was raining blood and started hooting and stumbling. At around midnight, 5 and 11 and Sage and Taylor decide to go to bed, because tomorrow is launch.

Oh, right. The awful games of death start tomorrow. I forgot about that.

Maysilee sighs. "I can't go back to bed. I'm just gonna toss and turn and freak out because I'm so nervous." This catches me off guard a little. "Wait, you're nervous?" Maysilee gawks at me. "Haymitch, you would have to be retarded or a Career to not be nervous." Wow. So I guess Maysilee actually is not all that tough and strong. Then again, I'm as scared as a deer in front of a high-speed train.

I decide to say what needs to be said. "Maysilee, at one of us, probably both of us, will die. So I want you to know that…well…you're a really good friend." That's about as tacky as I want to get. Maysilee smiles. "You too, Hay-witch." That hits me with a pang. Hay-witch is Artemis's nickname for me. I slide her bracelet up and down my arm. "Maysilee, do you have a boyfriend? I'must wondering because… I want to know if you know what this feels like."

She pauses, then starts her words slowly. "Yeah. Dogwood Cohen." I know Dogwood. We call him Dog. I never knew he had a girlfriend. They must have been keeping it a secret. "Feels hard doesn't it?" "Yeah." We sit there in silence till I speak up. "I think I might head down to bed. See you in the Bloodbath. Good luck." I turn around and start to walk away, when I feel a big weight thrusted on to me. Maysilee is hugging me tightly and sobbing, to my surprise. I whirl around and hug her back reluctantly. She says through her whimpers, "I hate this! Life was all perfect, then the stupid Capitol came and jacked it all up with their stupid Hunger Games! I just want to go home now!" She sobs even harder. I'd have never guessed that the strong, tough, bold Maysilee Donner would ever start crying like this. "I know, Maysilee, I know. Here…um…try to remember the mountain song." Obviously, I'm not that great at comforting or singing, but I start to softly sing the mountain song to her.

"_Far beyond the mountain_

_Across the glassy sea_

_A place where the Mockingjays flutter_

_A place for you and me_

_Beyond the mountain, a place where we are free_

_A cottage of pure white stone"_

Maysilee begins to sing along quietly.

"_A thousand rabbits hop around with glee_

_This is the place of nature's throne_

_Far beyond the mountain_

_Across the glassy sea_

_A place where the Mockingjays flutter_

_A place for you and me."_

I pat her back. "Remember that, Maysilee. One day, we'll all be free." She hugs me one more time and smiles. "You know, since it's the last day before the Games, want to have a little fun?" I grin. "You bet I do."

So we order tacos, blue jello, chocolate ice cream, some watermelon, and a fizzy drink they call soda. When the snacks come on a raised platform, I spot a little gazebo with some chairs in the middle of the garden. "Let's go there." We carry the food over to the gazebo and lounge in the cushioned plush chairs, gazing out at the night sky and eating our food provisions.

"It doesn't look right," says Maysilee all of a sudden. "What doesn't?"

"The sky."

I shrug. "Hey, we're in the Capitol. Nothing looks right."

"Because nothing _is_ right," she says glumly. I nod. "You have a point there. Hell, I think the tributes are the only real people to ever walk the streets of the Capitol."

We sit in silence for about two more minutes, watching the hazy horizon, polluted with the neon lights of the city. "Haymitch?" "Yeah?" "What's that?"

I turn to where Maysilee is gesturing and spot a glowing golden object attached to the wall of the gazebo. Must be like an air freshener or a night light or something. I reach over and grab it, and realize it's a piece of thick paper woven out of thick golden strands. It looks like…wheat. Or grain. I notice loopy writing that slants to the right written in black ink. We lean over and read the words.

_Maysilee, Haymitch, and the others in your alliance,_

_I have a very important piece of information for you that you might want to hear. The Careers know about your plan with staying around the Cornucopia and which direction you will travel in. Dana Rubinson from District 2 is going to set snares in that direction. I don't know what kind of snares, but my sources tell me they are somewhere along the lines of twitch-ups, nets, or entanglers. You need to avoid heading in that direction. Go the opposite way, or to the left or right of where you were originally going. In fact, maybe you could draw them into their own snare. _

_I know this letter sounds a bit fishy to you. But I have a way to prove the truth. _

Ακούστε, Θυμηθείτε την προειδοποίηση σας έδωσα. Ο θάνατος μπορεί να είναι καλύτερο από τη νίκη. Ο Βίκτορ είναι πάντα ηττημένος στην πείνα παιχνίδια.

_May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor (wink, wink),_

_Esmerelda Traitum_

_District 9 Female_

Maysilee frowns. "Okay, that was pretty creepy. Is that the girl who, like, prophesized on the elevator?" "That's the one," I reply. But the creepiest thing about the letter was what the words in Greek meant. "I think she used the Greek stuff to send a secret message to me. Translated, it says '_Listen up, Haymitch. Remember the warning I gave you. Death may be better than victory. The Victor is always the loser in the Hunger Games.'_ Remember her warning?

_After the month of May_

_On the twenty-ninth day_

_As the sun completes its mourning_

_That is when you earn your warning_

_An ally will be lost, a tool will be found_

_A tool that makes the stone come around_

_When death arrives spinning eagerly toward you,_

_Welcome it like so many before you._

_But if you dodge it, you pay the price:_

_Decades of sorrow no comfort will suffice."_

Maysilee groans. "Whatever this means, it can't be good. Can you interpret it?" "I'll try. I think it means that on May 29th, I'll lose an ally, find a tool, and have death spin toward me." That's pretty much the best I can come up with. Maysilee rolls her eyes. "Wow, no way, o intelligent one. Well, it's not like I can think of anything better."

"Wait – how do the Careers know about our plan?"

Maysilee ponders this for a moment.

"It can only mean one thing. Either someone from 5 or 11 has betrayed us and is a spy for the Careers."

The full impact of that statement hits me. Someone would be so low to actually spy on us for the Careers. That is just sick! After all we've been through? I guess we'll have to warn the others during the Bloodbath…

"But the question is, why is Esmerelda helping us, can we trust her, and what if this prophecy comes true?"

Actually, the real question is

_**How**__ will this prophecy come true?_


	14. Bloodbath: The Worst Kind of Bath

**Chapter 14: The Bloodbath - The Worst Kind of Bath**

**A/N: YES! IT'S HERE! IT'S TIME FOR THE BLOODBATH! THE BATH OF BLOOD! LET THE 50****TH**** ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!**

**Longest chapter yet! Please review! :D**

"Haymitch, wake up! It's time for the biggest day of your life!" hollers Kolonpi.

Oh crap.

I try to imagine this is just a dream. That this is not really happening, that today is not Launch Day. But it doesn't work. It's kind of hard not to think of my impending doom.

I groggily drag myself out of bed and throw on a shirt and pants. This is the last outfit I'll ever wear in my life, I guess. If I don't become a Victor.

I open the door and walk out to meet Callie and Kolonpi with the other tributes. But no one is up to their usual mischief. Everyone looks grave, like they're in a funeral procession. Well, I guess they are. After all, I might come home to a funeral procession –

_Stop, _I tell myself. Thinking like that is not going to help me win the Games and come back to Artemis.

"I guess this is where we say goodbye," mutters Sage. Callie sighs. "I just want to say that District 12 might actually have another Victor. Keep up this alliance of yours. Find a source of water. Head up to the roof; the hovercraft will pick you up shortly. Good luck, everyone. I really have faith in you. Haymitch, stay here for a minute." Oh god. This can't be good.

Sage, Taylor, and Maysilee take the elevator to the roof, while I linger behind. Callie starts to speak slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Listen, I know I haven't been a very good mother. And you may believe this, or you may not, but I'm sorry. I can't really make up for neglecting you. But I promise I will do _anything _to help you. Don't tell this to the others, but I'm rooting and betting on you. Remember, think like the enemy. Now go catch the hovercraft."

So she's sorry? I guess she has feelings after all. Before I can stop myself, I throw myself into her arms and embrace her, burying my face in her hair. She rubs my back slowly. After a few minutes, she pulls away and kisses me on the forehead. "Good luck, son." She turns on her heel and walks away.

And that's it. The last time I will ever see my mother. Sorrow spreads through me as I trudge into the elevator. Who knew my mom could mean this much to me? Because I certainly did not.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER…

I sit upon a hard grey chair on the hovercraft, gazing at the faces of my fellow tributes. _They will all have to die in order to get me back to Artemis, _I think to myself. Everyone is silent, pondering their fate and their tactics for the Bloodbath in an hour.

I decide to make some conversation. "So, everyone, who's excited for the Bloodbath? Eh?"

Some people glare at me, probably wondering why the hell I'm making this seem positive. Lila Hamilpon from 8 speaks up. "I guess.." Mary Kingsley from her district scoffs. "Why yes, because we all love blood and the deaths of innocent children. Yes, we are practically jumping out of our seats with enthusiasm," she says sarcastically. "Well, that may be the case with Topaz," chides Logan Destiny from 10. Topaz glares at him, and he smirks.

"So," says Emily Laverton from 6. "What's everyone's favorite food in the Capitol?" "THE PIE! It's so juicy!" Ivey Spearton from 1 screams suddenly. "Ivey, you idiot, don't associate with the lower class!" Mary rolls her eyes. "So that means she's forbidden to talk to you?"

A lot of the non-Careers laugh, and Topaz gives her yet another death glare. "Oh, so I'm lower class? I don't think you should be talking, little Miss I-live-in-a-shabby-tenement-in-District-Eight." "Well a girl without riches is better than a girl without brainpower. Oh, and I wonder who that girl may be?" She glances pointedly at Topaz. Wow, this Mary girl is really pushing it. "That's it, you are SO dead in the Bloodbath!" Topaz yells. I smirk and speak next. "Thank god, I'm sure she'd have a much better time being dead then looking at you."

The tributes respond with shouts of "Ooh!" and "Nice one!" and "He did NOT just go there!" and Mary hits me with a grateful look. We spend the rest of the hovercraft ride arguing with the Careers, telling jokes, and playing charades, despite the fact we are strapped into chairs.

I feel the plane lurch down. "Okay, everyone, the Games of death are about to begin in thirty minutes. Have a jolly good time! And consider joining the anti-Career alliance!" We land with a bump, and we board off of the train and into our launch rooms.

I walk into the white cushion-filled room assigned to me and see Tigris. To my surprise, make-up streaks down her stripe-riddled face. "Hey Tigris," She looks up and quickly wipes away her tears and sniffs. "Hey, Mitchie. Let's open up your outfit, shall we?" she says grimly. I walk over to the box, and Tigris and I pull out its contents.

My outfit is a cotton red shirt, with tight black pants and black boots with rubber soles. "Good for running," Tigris comments as she takes off my clothes and helps me put on my arena clothes. "The shirt's thick but airy, so expect mild weather. Boots are nice and sturdy." She puts on the remainder of my clothes and forces some food and water into me. I guess I'll need the extra fat.

A high-pitched voice suddenly booms from a speaker. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time for Launch. Please step on to the metal plate in your rooms. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Tigris gulps. "Well, I guess it's time. Listen, you are a really great tribute with a really great mind, I just want you to know that. You have very high odds. I checked the records, and your odds are 3 to 1. That's really good. I honestly know you will win. Whenever I meet a tribute, I can tell if they will be a Victor. I guessed correctly for Blight from 7. Trust me, you will make it. Goodbye, Mitchie." She kisses my forehead.

"Tigris, you're the best stylist in the Games! I will do my best to…" My words are cut off when the tube encases me. Oh no. It really is time. Tigris smiles at me and gives me a thumbs-up, and my plate starts to rise slowly, surrounded by pitch-black.

No, no, no, no, no…

I am suddenly blinded by bright light. I blink a few times and finally see my arena for the first time. Except…wow. Everything about this place is absolutely gorgeous. We are standing on a meadow filled with wild flowers, a sweet fruity scent wafting past my nose. A gentle breeze caresses the crisp, mild air. A grey snow-capped mountain stands tall in the backround, while woods and crystalline rivers are spread around. Seems pretty out of place for a battlefield. Luscious fruit dangles from bushes, and little rabbits and squirrels are hopping around. Birds chirp, emitting a soft, sweet sound. So many sources of food…

I look around at the tributes in the circle. I am between Shelby from 7, garbed in turquoise, and Dana from 2, wearing a green top. Wait, Dana. That's the girl who is setting the snares…

Panic runs through me. I need to somehow warn my allies during the Bloodbath about Dana's snares. Dana sees me staring and smirks at me, silently saying "You don't know what you're in for."

Oh yes I do, Dana. Yes I do.

The voice of Claudius Templesmith suddenly rings out. Ladies and Gentlemen, let the 50th Annual Hunger Games begin!"

A low, robotic voice starts counting down 60 seconds. I find Maysilee a few plates down from me and nod towards the Cornucopia. She nods in understanding.

I look around and notice that most of the tributes are almost in a trance, gazing at the beautiful scenery. Stupid. They should be preparing to fight…

"10."

It's been 50 seconds?

"9."

Oh crap.

"8."

I'm gonna die!

"7."

I can't, I need to get back to Artemis!

"6."

Okay, Haymitch. Stay calm. Just follow through with your plan.

"5."

I CAN'T DO THIS!

"4."

Yeah I can.

"3."

Oh no.

"2."

I got this.

"1."

I GOT THIS!

"BONNNGGGG!"

Faster than I can process, I sprint toward the Cornucopia. I see Topaz running at me with a double axe.

A double axe…

I dodge out of the way as she throws it, lodging in the golden metal of the Cornucopia. I pull it out. Now I've got this down.

Ares from 2 is charging at me with a bronze sword. Fear courses through me. I chuck my axe, and it lodges in his chest, creating a horrible squelching sound on impact. He sinks to the ground, shakes a bit, then goes still.

That was it. My first kill.

You know how they say you're soul is tainted when you kill? Well whoever said that is completely right. I have this guilty feeling in my gut that's hard to ignore, but I'll have to deal with it for now…

I glance around and see the Careers and some of my allies charging through the meadow towards this spot. I have no choice but to scale the Cornucopia. I leap on, the metal searing my long fingers. I place my hands on the ridges, scrambling to the top and pulling myself up, and grab a pack of axes with my toes. I stand and survey the scene.

The first thing I can register is the blood. Blotches of red stain the previously pristine flowers, soaking the grass, and spilling it on everything. It's almost as if the meadow is a sea of redness.

But the worst part is the killing. At least four bodies are already lying still on the ground. I see Diamond from 1 fling a knife in Lila from 8's back. She crumples to the ground. I think of the horror her family must feel, but then I think of how Ares' family must feel.

I try to convince myself that he deserved it, when an arrow is whizzing toward me. I dodge to the left, and Rachel from 4's arrow grazes my right ear. I see her stomp and swear, then load another arrow. I dodge it, then realize I must do what I absolutely don't want to do. I throw an axe, which pierces her skull between her eyes. Her pupils roll up, and she sinks to the ground.

Kill number 2.

"Hey! Haymitch!" Kelly is scaling the Cornucopia. I start to pull her up, when I see Diamond's knife whizzing toward her. "Kelly, DUCK!" But I'm too late. It lands in her back. She coughs up some blood and tumbles down to the ground.

And one of my allies is dead. I barely have time to reflect on this when I notice Dana rushing toward the woods with a net in hand. I spot Maysilee standing idle. "GET HER!" I call. Maysilee nods and throws a knife at Dana. It finds its target and Dana screams, falling to the ground she goes still. "Nice throw, but you're going to pay for that."

I whirl around and come face to face with a set of amber eyes. "Topaz, get off. You are not in for a very good experience." She smirks. "Nah, I think I'll stick around for a while." "Correction: Your _corpse _will stick around for a while." I swing my axe, but she's expecting it, so she dodges it. Not before it slices a deep gash in her thigh, though.

"Argh!" She takes her axe and throws it, but I reach up and grab the spinning weapon. It seems like I overshot though, and the blade slices across my hand. I wince as pain sears through it. I let the axe fly by, and it catches an unsuspecting Diamond across the shins. He swears, but goes back to torturing James from 9. I turn back around, and Topaz is leaping down the Cornucopia. "Later babe," she winks and leaps down.

I send an axe after her, and to my satisfaction it hits her in the eye before she bats it away. I then witness the obscenely gruesome sight of her left eye falling on to the ground. My gag reflex reacts, and I retch on to the ground, the vomit landing on top of her. Ha. She loses an eye and gets puked on within ten seconds. What luck. She sprints away and whistles a short tune, and the Careers sprint into a clearing, taking over half of the supplies, leaving the area quiet. I scale down the Cornucopia and survey my surroundings.

Probably twenty dead bodies are scattered across the plain. I look around and see most of my allies and a few kids from other districts alive and well. I call "Hey!" and my allies run up to me. "Okay, mission accomplished. We have taken the Cornucopia. Let's take attendance to see who is alive. Sparkes?"

"Here." He looks pretty beaten up. I saw him dueling Roran from 1.

"Electra?"

"Here."

"Wireson?"

Silence. Daemon bows his head. "I saw Paco Kantum throw a trident at him. Wireson is over there."

I see a bloodied Wireson laying motionless on the ground, three holes in his chest from the trident prongs.

We bow our heads, and Crackle screams and bursts into tears. Electra pats her back. "Wireson was her younger half-brother… I'm sorry, Crackle."

Crackle wipes her eyes, shaking. "My-my job was t-to protect him. I-I volunteered t-to save h-him. I failed. I-I d-don't deserve to live." She grabs a knife. It takes a moment for us to realize what she is about to do. "Crackle, NO!" Electra screams as Crackle thrusts the knife into her heart. She slides to the ground, laying on her back. Electra shakes her.

"Crackle, don't go, please, don't go, we need you, please stay with me!"

Crackle weakly shakes her head. "I didn't do my job. What is the point of life when I know my little brother is dead because of me?" she whispers. Electra's tears fall on her wound and soak in, thinning out the running blood.

Her eyes flutter shut. "Goodbye, everyone. Win for me. Please."

Her head hits the ground. Her body goes still.

Electra is sobbing. "NO! CRACKLE, NO! YOU CAN'T DIE! NO!" Sparkes wraps his arms around Electra and whispers some indistinguishable words to her. They seem to calm her down a bit, and at least she isn't hysterical anymore.

I think back to joking around with Wireson and Crackle. They were good people and good friends, and I'll miss them. A lot.

I clear my throat.

"Okay…um…let's have a moment of silence for the two."

We do that, and then I continue. "I guess we will continue attendance. Um…Daemon?"

"Here."

"Pete?"

"Here."

"Ash?"

"Here."

"And…um…I'm really sorry everyone. Diamond knifed Kelly in the back."

Everyone stares in shock. "No…" Peter whispers. "No…no no no..."

"A moment of silence for Kelly."

This is probably the death that hurts me most so far. Kelly was funny and sarcastic, but kind, too. We really loved her, and she had that kind of genuine personality that no one could hate. And now…she's gone.

"Well, on that note…I guess we might as well continue. Maysilee?"

"Here."

"Sage?"

"Here."

"Taylor?"

"Here."

"And I'm here. That makes nine of us. I guess we might as well start packing up and leaving. I found out last night from Esmerelda that the Careers had a plan to ensnare us when we travel to the south, but I eliminated the threat. Let's head north to the mountain. The Careers went west to the lake."

Everyone reluctantly stands up and divides up the supplies into packs. We swing them around our backs, along with any weapons we choose. We head out in the direction of the mountain, which seems to be about two miles away. I lead the way, and Maysilee walks behind me.

We trudge through the foothills, the birds chirping sweet songs that echo through the air. Maysilee jogs up next to me after about thirty minutes. "Hey, watch this." She whistles the tune of the mountain song. Silence follows, but then the birds start to repeat the melody. The alliance stops and gazes with awe as the strange little birds start to repeat the song, the noise bouncing back and forth in an almost unearthly harmony.

"What are they?" I ask. "Mockingjays," Maysilee answers. "You know about Jabberjays, right? During the Dark Days, the Capitol breeded them to place in rebel territories to record their words. The rebels caught on and told them false information. The Capitol realized this and ditched the Jabberjays, but then they mated with mockingbirds, creating the Mockingjay. I love them so much that I have one as my token. See?"

She points to a circular gold pin attached to her turquoise tank top. It depicts a Mockingjay embedded in a circle of gold. "That's awesome!" I start to walk again, and everyone else does so.

After another twenty minutes, we finally reach the base of the mountain. "Let's make camp here."

Everyone immediately gets down to business. Sage, Sparkes, and a whimpering Pete take long strands of grass and start to weave mats to make a little hut. Maysilee, Taylor, and Daemon go to hunt, while me, Ash, and Electra stay to sort the supplies.

Ash gathers together our packs. "So it looks like everyone just shoved in random things. That's alright, though. I think we need to make sure each person gets a pack of food, water, weapons, and other provisions. Let's empty out the packs, then divide the supplies among each person in case one of us gets stranded." We agree and do the job as a glowing orange sun sinks below the horizon. The cannons start to fire.

"One, two, three…"

The cannons keep booming, then silence returns.

"I counted eighteen."

"Same here.

Eighteen dead. Thirty of us left. Each of us with a 3 Percent chance of surviving. I think about Kelly and Crackle and Wireson. None of them were weak links. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have happened to any of us. I picture the horror on Kelly's face as she fell from the Cornucopia. Something's telling me that that face will haunt me for the rest of my days…

We spend another two hours switching off jobs, and Maysilee, Taylor, and Daemon come back with a whole assortment of deer, rabbits, fish, and other creatures. Taylor also plucked some fruit off the bushes and is carrying a whole sack load. Taylor grabs a plum and bites into it. "Man, this is amazing!" He gulps down the fruit, burping with satisfaction afterwards.

Suddenly, his face turns a sickly shade of green and grey.

"Um, Taylor? Are you alright?"

Taylor sinks to his knees and keels over, taking shaky breaths.

"TAYLOR! What's wrong?" We're all panicking. What's happening to Taylor?

Taylor starts to shiver uncontrollably. He starts to talk in shaky words.

"Don't…eat…fruit. Win."

He takes in a huff of breath and exhales. The unmistakable sound of the cannon booms across the arena.

It's that quick. The death of Taylor Wetsell.

"Taylor…" I murmur quietly. Taylor can't be dead. I mean, it's the first day, and he's so strong…how could this happen? Yet the same thing happened to three other people in the alliance. But Taylor…dead…what?

I feel obligated to say some words about him. After all, he was one of my good friends. "Taylor…was a great guy. He didn't deserve to die." That's all I can get out before I start to choke on my tears. I can't cry now. Not on national television…

We just sit there and stare at the lifeless body of Taylor in complete silence. I think we're all too shocked for words. Within a few minutes, the hovercraft comes and the four-pronged claw lifts him up, carrying my little apprentice into the night sky.

_Taylor…_

It's not fair. Why did this happen? How can people take pleasure in this? Are they laughing their heads off right now? Who on earth is that sick-minded? Oh, I know. The Capitol.

Suddenly, the part of the night we've all been waiting for arrives. The death report. I grab a giant leaf off of a plant and etch the names of the dead with a stick.

_Dead_

_1: Roran_

_2: Ares, Dana_

_3. Robert, _

_4. Rachel, Jonah_

_5. Crackle, Wireson_

_6. Evangelia_

_7. Shelby, Norman_

_8. Lila, Erik_

_9. James, Autumn_

_10. Bailey, Mark_

_11. Kelly_

_12. Taylor_

Nineteen dead in one day. I cannot even remotely imagine how people can enjoy watching this.

Maysilee leans over. "Um, guys?"

"Yeah?"

"You might want to know that a pack of giant rabid golden squirrels is about to eat us."

**A/N: Oooh suspense…how will they deal with the golden squirrels? Next update probably tomorrow or Friday!**

**Here are the remaining tributes. I will post this list every chapter.**

1

Diamond Maligna

Ivy McCormick

Topaz Stalactite

2

Kahn Moraki

Cecelia Fenbatt

3

Flint Walker

Aria Cellomen

Bevel Joulessly

4

Paco Kantum

Marina Bradley

5

Sparkes Vinshum

Electra Hatruk

6

Rider Grenwich

Gustavo Sloxanborg

Emily Laverton

7

Oak Barkon

Cedar Raffen

8

Samuel Hawthorne

Mary Kingsley

9

Donner Blitzen

Esmerelda Traitum

10

Logan Destiny

Meg Martini

11

Daemon Ferrell

Peter Zucchini

Ash Willamstead

12

Haymitch Abernathy

Maysilee Donner

Sage Baxter


	15. Attack of the Awkward Golden Squirrels

**Chapter 16: Attack of the Awkward Golden Squirrels**

**A/N: Hello there, and Happy Fourth of July! I am officially back from my trip (I had a great time!) Thank you everyone for your awesome reviews. This chapter picks up literally right where the last one left off.**

**Also, an anonymous reviewer suggested a very great idea in his/her review about Haymitch finding out how Esmerelda knew that the Careers discovered his plan. I will use that idea in this chapter. Thanks for favoriting and reviewing this story, and enjoy this chapter!**

**P.S. Please vote in the poll on my profile page! :D**

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"Um…what, Maysilee?"

Everyone frantically whirls around, looking for these golden squirrels Maysilee just mentioned.

"Duck!" Maysilee hisses. "Behind the bushes!"

Without question, the eight of us dive behind a prickly holly bush and peer between the branches. Sure enough, a pack of vicious golden squirrels towers before us. And I mean it when I say the word 'towers'.

These things have got to be at least eight feet tall, the silvery moonlight glinting off their muscular builds. Six of them loom about five yards away from our hiding place, baring their fangs, with spittle lining their furry jaws.

I glance at their paws. Razor sharp claws. These rabid squirrels will be a bit of a challenge.

I look over at Daemon, who is crouching beside me. He returns my stare, then starts to grunt urgently and gestures at Sage. To my horror, Sage is stringing an arrow on to her bow. "Sage, NO!"

I'm too late. Her arrow whizzes through the air, embedding itself in one of the squirrel's chest. The effect is instantaneous. The pack jumps up and starts screeching while one of their comrades slinks to the ground, spilling golden blood. _For Artemis,_ I think to myself. Then I leap out of the bush.

Everything else around me seems to blur as I corner one of the creatures. It growls at me and starts to charge forward. I sidestep its attempt to pulverize me, and it stumbles a bit. It is then when I spot its weakness: it can't change direction once it has charged until it backs up again.

The squirrel turns on me again and charges. I leap out of the way and take its moment of confusion to my advantage. I chuck one of my axes into its heart. The squirrel crashes to the ground with a throaty roar, golden blood spurting out of its wound. Then I hear the scream.

It isn't just a scream. I mean, it's bloodcurdling, but it's more than that. This scream is like no other scream I have ever heard. It reminds me of everything dark – of death, of blood, of sorrow, of evil. It rings out through the arena. I whip around and witness one of the strangest things I have ever seen.

All the squirrels lay dead on the ground except for one. It looms above Esmerelda, who must have somehow joined the fight, wielding a flail. How did she appear without us noticing? She swings her flail, but the squirrel lunges forward, prying its claws a mere inch away from her heart. She lets out the scream. And that is when the weirdest thing happens.

She appears from thin air, seemingly vaporizing in front of Esmerelda. The squirrel's claws slash her chest, but as she falls to the ground, she grabs Esmerelda's flail and beheads the squirrel. The girl slips onto the ground, shaking and coughing.

We rush to her to see who this is. But this girl is completely unexpected. Ivy McCormick, Topaz's second-in-command, is the girl who just saved Esmerelda's life.

For a moment, we all just stand there and gape. Sparkes finally speaks. "Ivy…?"

Ivy lifts her head ever so slightly, then it falls back down. "Yes…it's me." She whispers shakily.

I ask the question that is on everyone's minds. "Why?"

Ivy coughs, then whispers again.

"I was allied with Districts 8, 9, and 10. I…I was a spy against the Careers. I gained their trust and fed secret information to the other tributes. Dana…she was eavesdropping on your plan on the roof. Dana told the rest of the Careers the plan, then I told Esmerelda that they found out, and she warned you."

A Career…against the Careers? That has never been even thought of before. Ivy was one of the most skilled Careers, and she had gotten a 10 in training. She seemed bloodthirsty and cruel like the others, and I would never have guessed that she was on our side the whole time.

"Ivy…um…thanks."

A trace of a grin lights up her ashen face. "Anything to beat the Careers. Because I know that they won't be having a Victor this year."

Her eyes flutter shut, and the girl who just saved Esmerelda exhales one last wavering breath.

The cannon booms.

Everyone stands there, gaping. No one says a word. I hate to admit it, but -

"I guess District One does have a hint of good inside."

I turn around to find the person who just completed my thought, and see that the remaining tributes from 8, 9, and 10 stand behind us. Mary, the snarky one from the hovercraft, steps forward.

"In fact, she was more than good. She actually had a heart. To turn against the Careers…that was a really bold thing to do."

I smile. "As bold as Careers come, I guess. Hey, thanks for fighting the squirrels with us."

"Actually, we had no choice," The high, chirpy voice of Esmerelda admits. "I wanted to give this to you, but then the squirrels suddenly came."

She holds out a piece of paper, which I read silently.

_Don't read this out loud. Listen, you need to ally with us. It could mean the difference between life and death for your family and Artemis. You will find out what I mean if you dodge death in the end. Just remember that when the time comes, blame it on Meg Martini from District 10._

_From, _

_E.T., D9_

_P.S. When you are done reading this, give it back to me immediately and pretend this was just an ally request. No one else can read this._

But…how could allying with them mean the difference between life and death for my family? What does she mean 'dodge death'? Could this mean that I'll be the Victor? How could she know? And what do I blame on Meg Martini, and why?

I look up, and Esmerelda gives me an urgent glance. "Oh, um…thank you. Yeah, we would love to ally with you. Is that okay with you guys?" I nod at 5, 11, and 12. They murmur in assent.

Mary smirks. "Great! Here, we have a whole bunch of supplies, and less than half of it is in our backpacks. Let's split them up, but do you want to move further up that mountain first? We were camped on the opposite side of the base."

"Yeah, sure, let's pack up." Sage replys.

We gather up the grass mats, food, and backpacks, and start to move up. "Let's get some water from the stream first. It looks pretty clean." I reach for the crystalline stream, but Sam from 8 pushes me back. "Don't drink that! When we got away from the Bloodbath, Bailey from 10 drank the water and died like thirty seconds later."

So the water's poisonous too…there seems to be a trend going on here. "Thanks. Taylor died after eating a plum from one of the bushes, so don't eat the fruit either."

"So this means that all the food and water is poisonous." concludes Electra.

"Yeah, so let's not eat it." says Logan.

"No way, Captain Obvious." retorts Mary, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's get moving."

We climb the rocky mountain, which is pretty gently sloped. Deer and rabbits play in the moonlight, and pine trees sway in the gentle breeze. Everything about this place is beautiful. But looks can be deceiving apparently, because of the incidents with the water and the fruit.

"Let's stop here," suggests Donner, who I think is Esmerelda's only remaining district partner.

I grab a leaf off a tree and pick up a stick, ready to write. "Can we write down the names of the people in our alliance, just so we can keep track of everyone?"

"Yeah, sure." says Logan. "We're Mary from 8, Sam from 8, Esmerelda from 9, Donner from 9, Logan from 10, and Meg from 10."

I write down the names as Pete lists the tributes from 5, 11, and 12. "Sparkes from 5, Electra from 5, Ash from 11, Daemon from 11, Pete from 11, Haymitch from 12, Sage from 12, and Maysilee from 12."

I count the names. "That's fourteen of us. Okay, let's reassemble the hut and call it a night."

We take out the grass mats and build the hut, which fits all of us since the mats are huge. It turns out that Mary's crew has done pretty well too with supplies – they have almost as much as we do. I call them Mary's crew because she seems to be the leader of their pack, just as I'm the leader of our pack. Well, I think so, because that's what we agreed on…

As we're assembling the hut, we hear three more cannons in a rapid succession. We look around to make sure that everyone in the alliance is okay. No one is dead, thank goodness. Too bad we won't find out who died until tomorrow.

When I'm almost sure that everyone else is asleep, I wake up Esmerelda and beckon her to come outside. She agrees, and once we're out of earshot from the rest of the alliance, I start to talk.

"Es, what does all this mean? I don't understand. First the prophecy, now the…" I cut myself off, because I know that I can't talk about the note. I look into her violet eyes and I can tell she knows what I mean.

Esmerelda sighs. She grabs a leaf and a stick and begins to write. When she's done, she hands it to me, and I see that it's written in Greek. It translates:

_Sorry, but we can't talk about this now. Not in front of the whole of Panem. Listen, I honestly don't know what it means either. I have these dreams, and they tell me things. Things about my fate, other people's fate, even the fate of the Capitol which, by the way, will fall eventually. A little voice tells me what I can and can't tell other people. Sometimes it possesses me when it wants to, and it makes me spit out random prophecies. I don't understand them, but I can interpret some of them. No matter what, the voice is right every single time it tells a prophecy. It told me the prophecy about you. But I can't use my ability freely. Think about it. If everyone knew that I could see the future, then they would all badger me and make me tell them their fate. Then the world would fall apart, because everyone would try to change their future. So we can't talk about it now. Sorry._

_P.S. Now laugh as if I said something funny._

I obey her and fake laugh. "Wow, you're actually pretty good at jokes!"

She grins. "I know, right?" Esmerelda winks at me, and then strolls back to the hut.

That was a lot to take in. So Esmerelda can predict the future, and she doesn't understand her prophecies…but I guess they must be accurate. And she mentioned that the Capitol will fall eventually. I should probably be shouting with joy, but every nation falls at some point. All those powerful places like America and Rome and England fell, even though they lasted for hundreds of years. The Capitol probably won't be defeated in at least 25 years.

25 years from now would be the next Quarter Quell. I wonder what they will do for that year. It would be pretty weird if they sent in the Victors to compete…but that would never happen. The Capitol loves them way too much to kill even one of them.

Maybe District 12 will have another Victor between now and the Third Quarter Quell. I picture the Victor in my head. In my imagination, the Victor will be a girl who looks a little like Artemis, with a braid running down her back and dangerous grey eyes. I imagine her running around the arena with a bow and arrow, blowing up the Careers' supplies and giving them a run for their money.

I lie down among the soft green grass and close my eyes, starting to slip into sleep. Then I smile to myself.

I think I'll call her…Katniss.

**A/N: Well, it's still Day One, but I'm posting the list of remaining tributes anyway. Note that four more tributes died, so look for the missing tributes on the list!**

1

Diamond Maligna

Topaz Stalactite

2

Kahn Moraki

Cecelia Fenbatt

3

Aria Cellomen

Bevel Joulessly

4

Paco Kantum

Marina Bradley

5

Sparkes Vinshum

Electra Hatruk

6

Gustavo Sloxanborg

Emily Laverton

7

Cedar Raffen

8

Samuel Hawthorne

Mary Kingsley

9

Donner Blitzen

Esmerelda Traitum

10

Logan Destiny

Meg Martini

11

Daemon Ferrell

Peter Zucchini

Ash Willamstead

12

Haymitch Abernathy

Sage Baxter

Maysilee Donner


	16. To Kill a Spark

**Chapter 17: To Kill a Spark**

**A/N: Hello Hello Hello! Sorry, this chapter is a bit depressing, note the un-funny name. I hope you like it, though! By the chapter is over, the field will be cut to less than half the original number of tributes. Thanks for the amazing reviews. They make me happy! :D Enjoy the chapter, and check out the poll on my profile! **

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_The dark, misty storm clouds swirl above the picturesque grassy meadow as I stand before my opponent, panting and heaving from the gruesome, exhausting battle. Topaz smirks at me, her golden blonde hair streaming behind her while she charges at me with her axe. I try to fight back, to grab my axe and defend myself, but I am frozen in place._

_Topaz snickers, coming closer and closer to my mauled, bloody body. "You're mine now, District 12." Topaz gloats, sneering in her serpent-like voice. She stops an inch before me, her amber serpentine eyes glowing with pleasure._

_Esmerelda suddenly appears beside me, her eyes glowing golden like they did when she told the prophecy. "When death arrives spinning eagerly toward you, welcome it like so many before you."_

_Topaz runs her fingers across my throat, sending shivers down my paralyzed spine._

"_But if you dodge it you pay the price;"_

_Topaz raises the axe._

"_DECADES OF SORROW NO COMFORT WILL SUFFICE!"_

_Topaz swings the axe, and before I black out, I hear a scream, as bloodcurdling as the one Ivy let out yesterday._

_Then I'm falling, falling into darkness, into an endless pit, trapped in the darkness forever and I'm still falling…_

"Haymitch…Haymitch are you okay?"

I open my eyes and find that I'm no longer being decapitated by Topaz, but lying on the side of the mountain, next to the camp of our alliance. Maysilee, Logan, and Electra kneel beside me, concern crossing their faces.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Something wrong?"

Logan furrows his eyebrows. "You were thrashing around like crazy, muttering something about death spinning toward you. Your eyes were wide open."

"But the creepiest thing was that you had your axe in your hand. You…well, you started to slice…you started to slice the axe across your throat." Electra pauses tentatively. "That's when Sparkes tackled you to the ground and pulled the axe out of your hand. He saved your life."

Sparkes…he saved me. He stopped me from killing myself. How could I possibly repay him for something like this? I need to thank him.

"Wow…that was really noble of him. Where is he? I need to thank him!" I whip my head around frantically.

For some reason, tears start to well up in Electra's eyes. "Haymitch…I…." She bursts into tears and runs back into the hut.

I turn to Logan and Maysilee. "What's up with her? Hormones? Bad fruit? Or is she playing hard to get? Or –"

Logan shakes his head. "Maysilee?"

"You tell him."

Logan pauses, then takes a deep breath. "Haymitch, when Sparkes tackled you to get the axe out of your hand…you started thrashing even harder. And you…you took the axe…and…um…."

Maysilee looks down at the ground and begins to speak in a soft, tentative voice. "The axe caught Sparkes in the neck. We tried to save him, but it was too late. Sparkes….Sparkes is dead."

No. No, no, no, no, no. Sparkes is not dead. It's all a dream. This is still the dream I was having last night. Sparkes is not dead. But from the way Maysilee and Logan are tearing up, I can tell this…this is real. Sparkes is dead.

Then the horrifying realization dawns on me.

"I killed Sparkes."

Maysilee's eyes widen. "Oh, no Haymitch, it wasn't your fault. You were having a really bad dream. Sparkes would completely understand. He would know that you didn't mean to."

She leans down and wraps her arms around me. Then I start to sob. When I sob, I make these awful hiccupping noises that I can never control. I sob and hiccup violently into her shoulder for what seems like forever.

I guess this isn't the first time I've ever killed a person. When I killed Rachel and Ares during the Bloodbath, I felt really bad, but this is different. Sparkes was my friend. He was friendly, good-natured, bright, positive, and down-to-earth. He shouldn't have died. Then I realize yet another important thing.

I quickly push Maysilee away. "I can't stay here."

Logan gasps. "What? You're that leader! You can't leave us! Why?"

I shake my head. "I just killed my friend. It's not right. I can't stay here knowing that I've crushed the hearts of everyone in this alliance, not to mention Sparkes' family and friends. It was really nice working with you guys. Thanks…thanks for being my allies. May the odds be ever in your favor."

"Haymitch, you can't!" Maysilee exclaims. "Please, we all know you didn't mean to! You're really valuable in this alliance. You'll regret it, I swear, and so will we!"

I sigh. "I wish I could stay, but I can't. Not after what I've done."

I sling my pack around my shoulder and grab a few axes. I turn around to take one last look at my allies, all of whom have gathered around by now. A single tear slides down Maysilee's cheek.

"Goodbye Haymitch," Sage says quietly. I gaze at my old friend for the last time, knowing I will never see her again.

"Goodbye," I whisper. I turn on my heel and walk away, leaving my former allies shocked and speechless.

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_**TWO DAYS LATER**_

I drag myself up the steep slope, heaving and panting from the effort. I have been climbing rapidly for at least six hours today, attempting to push my feelings out of my mind. I can't think about Maysilee or Sage or Mary or Electra or Logan or…Sparkes.

Just thinking the name churns my stomach with agony. I turn my head around and retch over the side of the mountain. When I'm finished, I wipe my mouth and force myself to keep on climbing the rocky terrain. The temperature has dropped drastically now that I'm at a higher elevation, so much that snow is covering the ground. I spot a wide piece of flat land covered in snowy pine trees.

My stomach growls. I vomited up all the food in my stomach a minute ago, so I sit down on a tree stump and dig into my food supplies in my pack. My heart sinks. Apparently I haven't been conserving my food very well for the past few days, and all I have remaining is a bag of dried cranberries. _Might as well finish it, _I think to myself. I stuff the fruit into my mouth greedily, savoring the juicy morsels. I then realize how cold it is, so I take a blanket out of the pack and snuggle the warm cotton against me.

The winter winds blow angrily past my ears, biting my nose and reddening my cheeks. The sun is beginning to fall, and it's obvious that it will only get colder as the day goes on. I pull the blanket up to my frostbitten face, trying to conserve body heat. I shiver uncontrollably and I can't help but wonder if the relentless winds will ever die down…

"Boo."

I whirl around immediately and am met with the sneering faces of Kahn, Cecelia, and Marina. Three deadly Careers. Great. This is what I get for leaving the alliance…

I smirk and decide to play it cool. "Well well well, look what we have here. Three tributes from 2 and 4 that Topaz has sent to kill me because she's too cowardly to do it herself."

Kahn growls. "Topaz is not a coward. She is just busy with more…important matters."

"And I don't think you want to challenge a pack of deadly Careers," adds Marina, her tone obviously condescending.

I pretend to panic and whip my head left to right rapidly. "Careers? Where's the Careers? All I see is three pathetic little children who have nothing better to do with their lives than feed their morbid interest in blood and death."

"Watch it, Curly." Cecelia snaps. "You don't want your head blown off."

I scoff. "Well at least I have something inside my head."

Marina narrows her eyes. "You know, I _really_ think that you don't want to go there."

"You know, I _really_ think I do." I reply, mimicking her tone.

"Suit yourself," says Cecelia. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's tear this idiot to shreds!"

The trio immediately charges on me, Cecelia leading. Cecelia attacks me first, a wicked-looking curved scythe in each hand. I see the green mark on the tips and I can immediately tell that they are covered in poison. I bat one of her scythes away from my chest, but she's too quick. Cecelia manages to open a gash on my cheek, but in return I slice a deep wound on her shoulder. My gash starts to sting. _The poison. _I gather up my courage and ignore my stinging wound. I throw an axe and it buries itself in her injured shoulder. As she falls, the cannon booms. Her scythes clatter to the ground.

One down, two to go.

Kahn turns on me next, his face flustered with rage. "You…you killed my girlfriend." He whispers darkly. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" He charges forward, his sword glinting in the sunlight. He slashes it against my shoulder, opening another wound. I quickly retaliate, and I kick him square in the stomach. Kahn is pushed back, the wind knocked out of him. He executes a deft backwards roll, and as he comes up, my axe finds his chest. He hits the ground, and the second cannon booms.

_One more, Haymitch. One more._

Marina calmly strides toward me, her cat-like sea-green eyes sparkling with glee. She stalks up to my face, her lips tickling my ear. "I think that you will find me a bit harder to beat than the losers from 2." She whispers and bats her eyes seductively, sending chills sliding down my spine.

I want nothing to do with this girl.

I lean over to her ear. "_Anyone_ would be harder to beat than them," I whisper in the same manner, close to her ear.

I jerk my axe down, effectively slicing off her left pinky. She leaps back and curses under her breath. "Let's get started then," she purrs. She raises her trident and attempts to strike my heart. I deflect it with the axe. She lifts her injured hand and punches me, while I swing the axe and slice her shoulder. We attack and parry back and forth, each one of us predicting the other's moves. I'll admit it – Marina is my equal. I can't seem to beat her, while she can't seem to beat me. Her motions are quick and fluid, almost feline. She reminds me in every way of a cat, arrogant and swift.

I decide to try the same motion that caused Kahn's downfall. I kick her in the chest, and her slender build topples to the ground. Suddenly, she pounces forward and knocks me down, resting on top of me. "Got you, pretty boy." She whispers in my ear.

Oh my god. I'm gonna die… this is it… I'm actually going to die now…

Panic runs through me as she lifts her trident to my throat. "Topaz was right…we could've had fun with you if you weren't about to die." Marina rears up her trident, preparing to strike. I close my eyes. "Goodbye Artemis," I say softly out loud.

But the blow I expect doesn't come. Her weight is gone from my body. I open my eyes and find that Marina lies next to me, shaking wildly. She begins to whisper, but not seductively like before.

"District Twelve…I'll admit…you put up a good fight. Y-you deserve to win…more than T-Topaz, anyway…good luck…"

Marina goes still, and her eyes start to glaze over. The cannon booms.

I'm about to shout with victory, but then I realize that I wasn't the one that killed her. She was about to slit my throat, but she fell off me for some reason. I reluctantly flip her limp body over onto her stomach. That's when I see it. A single dart embedded in her back, a turquoise feather protruding from it. But if I didn't kill Marina…

"Who did?" I say out loud, to no one in particular.

"Take a wild guess, Hay-witch."

I whirl around and see none other than Maysilee Donner standing behind me, grinning and carrying a blow gun.

"You – you followed me?"

She smirks. "How could I not follow you? Haymitch, you're really smart, but you can be really stupid sometimes. Did you honestly think you would survive alone, with the Careers targeting you?"

Good point. It was unquestionable that the Careers would find me eventually. I should have known…

"Oh…well…thanks."

Maysilee laughs. "No problem! After all, we'd last longer with two of us."

A grin spreads across my face. "I guess you proved yourself to be pretty useful. Where'd you get the dart gun?"

"Well…maybe I might have perhaps stolen it from Meg….don't tell her. I dipped the darts in poison from a poison dart frog."

"You're good at stealing, I gather."

"Like you didn't realize that before? Hey, the sun is setting, I think the death toll is gonna show soon."

Just as she says that, the anthem starts to play. We rush to a cliff to get a better view.

The first ones to show are Kahn and Cecelia from 2. Marina from 4.

The next one is Gustavo from 6, and then, to my horror, Daemon.

"Maysilee…what happened?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know… he was fine when I left…"

I take a moment to look back on Daemon. He was a good person, albeit a bit snarky like me. I think back to joking around with him on the roof. He shouldn't have died either. Yet again, no one here should have died. It's the Capitol's fault, completely the Capitol…

"Who else died yesterday and the day before? I didn't pay attention." I ask, as the anthem ends with a flourish and the sky goes dark again.

"Robert from 3, Rider from 6, and Oak from 7. Word from Mary is that she saw Robert and Oak eat the fruit before she could warn them. I think Donner saw Rider sniff a flower and drop dead."

I think of meeting Rider at the climbing contest at training. I also met Oak at camoflauge. I remember talking with Robert at lunch during training.

I think of how Aria Cellomen must feel about Robert's death. I heard she was his girlfriend…then I think of how Electra must feel because of Sparkes…

"Haymitch, I can tell you're thinking about Sparkes again. How 'bout a hug?"

I nod, and bury my face in her shoulder. How is it that she always knows what I'm feeling?

I'd have to say that living in the arena of death is always better when you have a friend beside you.

**A/N: Hey! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Here are the remaining tributes. It's down to nineteen! :O**

1

Diamond Maligna

Topaz Stalactite

2

3

Aria Cellomen

Bevel Joulessly

4

Paco Kantum

5

Electra Hatruk

6

Emily Laverton

7

Cedar Raffen

8

Samuel Hawthorne

Mary Kingsley

9

Donner Blitzen

Esmerelda Traitum

10

Logan Destiny

Meg Martini

11

Peter Zucchini

Ash Willamstead

12

Haymitch Abernathy

Sage Baxter

Maysilee Donner


	17. Never Bring a Cello to the Hunger Games

**Chapter 18: Never Bring Your Cello to the Hunger Games**

**A/N: ****Hello there! Finally, I got some constructive criticism in my reviews! There was an error involving Sparkes being shown in the death toll 2 days after his death, so I fixed that. I also changed a few things in Chapter 6. Enjoy this chapter!**

**And, just to speed things up, I skipped ahead one week since the last chapter. Hope you don't mind! :D**

**ONE WEEK LATER:**

As I open my eyes, I register golden sunlight streaming through the pines, the snow gleaming with tiny flecks of bluish ice. Yesterday's harsh winds have been replaced with a gentle breeze that tickles my icy nose. My poisonous wound on my cheek still stings from a week ago, but not as much. Maysilee found some medicinal herbs the day after I got the gash, and they've worked. A lot.

I throw the cotton blanket off of me, and immediately notice a delicious, fruity smell wafting through the air.

_Jello._

_Who am I kidding,_ I think to myself. _How could there possibly be Jello around here?_

But sure enough, I spot Maysilee lounging against a tree by the fire, scooping bright blue jello into her mouth. I reluctantly stretch and sit up, rubbing my eyes. "Maysilee, what the heck…"

She grins and holds up a glowing silver parachute. "I think for the first time in history, District Twelve got some sponsors."

I jump up and rush over to the parachute. Inside rests another container, this one containing red Jello. My favorite.

I open the container hastily and slurp up part of the jiggly concoction, not bothering to use the silver spoon that comes with it. The tangy taste tingles on my tongue, and I savor it. This could be the last time I ever have Jello…

"Think we have any water to wash this down with?" I ask.

"See for yourself," Maysilee replies. She gestures to a pile of five parachutes.

I gasp. "Oh my god, are you serious?"

I leap over to the pile and dig through the supplies. A container of hot stew, a fire starter, a few packs of salty crackers, a folded-up tent, and a little object that looks like a tube.

How much could this have possibly cost? In the beginning of the Games, the cost of one large meal would be the cost of a cracker now. I knew the crowd liked us, but I never even fathomed that we would be this popular!

"What's the tube?" I ask, sliding it up and down my pinky.

"Spile," says Maysilee. "You hammer it into a tree, and then sap spills out to make water. So basically, we got an endless supply of water."

"Can we use it on a pine?"

"I don't know. Let's try it."

Maysilee cuts away some branches of a tree and pokes a hole in the trunk with her knife. I attach the spile into the hole, and a small trickle of water starts to pour out. Maysilee puts her tongue underneath the stream, and after awhile she lifts her head. "It's pretty good. Tastes a bit funky, but it's better than nothing."

I grab two empty water bottles out of our packs and fill them with the dripping water. I take a sip, and Maysilee was right. It's good, but it tastes a little odd. This is no time to be picky, though. After all, most tributes would be hard-pressed for even a drop of water.

I hear the cannon.

We look around frantically, wondering who just died. Is it Sage? Electra? Mary? Logan? Meg?

The terrain is empty, not a sign of another person around. We go back to sipping on our water and sorting supplies and just talking for about four tedious hours.

"Maysilee, it's been one week, and the only people who died are Sam, Donner, and Emily. Isn't the Capitol getting bored? The Gamemakers are bound to strike soon."

Maysilee shrugs. "I don't know. Something interesting probably happened awhile ago that left people good and bloody. I have this weird feeling that someone will die today."

Suddenly, a strange, deep sound starts to resonate through the trees, making them rustle ever so slightly.

"Cello…" I say out loud. I know what that is. I think I once heard someone play one back in 12, or maybe I heard about it in school. A big stringed instrument, made of oak or maple or something. Only the richest people in 12 can afford a cello, and it would take at least 5 years for me to save up for one.

Me and Maysilee immediately jump up, looking for the source of the sound. I listen closer. It's vibrating, forming a melody that sounds all too familiar…

"The Hanging Tree…" Maysilee whispers.

That's it. The Hanging Tree. A song that most of the kids in the Seam know by heart. I don't know who wrote it, or how long ago it was written, but everyone knows it.

I can also make out someone singing the words... two high voices singing loud and clear in perfect harmony. Something about it makes me uneasy. The voices sound almost haunting, a little breathy.

"_Are you, are you, coming to the Hanging Tree_

_Where they hung a man they say murdered three_

_Strange things did happen there, no stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree…_"

Maysilee's eyes suddenly widen. "Come on. Let's go." She takes off in the direction of the sound.

"Maysilee! WAIT!" But I'm too late. Maysilee is already sprinting away. I have no choice but to chase after her. "MAYSILEE!" I call, crashing through the trees. This has to be a trap. Why else would someone loudly be playing a cello in the middle of the woods singing The Hanging Tree? "MAYSILEE!"

Maysilee stops abruptly. "Haymitch…" she whispers.

That's when I see one of the strangest things I've ever seen in the arena. Aria and Bevel from 3 and Cedar from 7 are standing in a clearing. Aria and Bevel are the ones singing, harmonizing and forming the eerie melody. And sure enough, Cedar is playing a cello, rubbing an odd-looking stick back and forth on the strings. But where could she possibly have found a cello in the arena? I would have noticed one if it were by the Cornucopia. Besides, what idiot plays a cello and sings a song loud and clear in an arena packed with kids trying to kill you?

"Haymitch…" Maysilee whispers again. She nudges my arm and points up.

The girl is hanging upside down from a branch of a tree by her leg, a knife hilt protruding from her stomach. Gasping for air. Her purple tank top smeared with blood.

Sage Baxter.

"Sage!" I call. "Sage, are you okay? SAGE!"

She opens her eyes, and coughs. "Do not…go near…the cellist…" she speaks in a raspy voice. Her body suddenly goes still.

The cannon booms.

And with that, my old friend Sage is dead.

We stand there, gazing up at her lifeless body, swaying gently from the rope. The music has ceased, and the trio is staring at us with shocked expressions on their faces.

I stomp over to the clearing, with Maysilee following me. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" I scream at them. Aria recoils, Cedar stares at the ground, and Bevel remains expressionless.

"I'm sorry…" Aria mutters. "We didn't mean to."

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" I repeat.

"Well, we had a trap," answers Bevel quietly. "We played the music, hoping to lure in the Careers. We knew they were camped somewhere around here. I rigged the area surrounding the clearing so that when the Careers came, the snare would dangle them from the tree and impale them with a knife."

"Where did you get the cello?" asks Maysilee, her voice dark with anger. I can tell she is furious, but trying to control herself. That won't last for long, I can tell by the way she glares at them.

"I made it." answers Cedar. "Back in Seven I was a wood carver for a company that makes wooden instruments. I chopped down a tree, and carved the wood to make it hollow. Then we found a pony, and Aria cut its mane to make the strings and the bow."

"We're really sorry," Aria adds. "We honestly meant for the Careers to get trapped, not Sage, By the time she was snared, there was nothing we could do."

They could be lying, but the concerned expressions on their faces tell me that their apology is genuine.

We stand still for a moment in silence. Finally, I speak up. "We can never forgive you for killing our friend, but we accept your apology. I know that you didn't mean to, so… I guess we won't kill you."

Another moment of awkward silence occurs.

"AAUUURRRRRRGGHHHH!" Maysilee screams out all of a sudden. She grabs the cello and smashes it against the ground, its strings twanging.

Cedar rushes forward. "Hey what are you doing, I worked for a full week on that!" Cedar tries to grab the smashed cello, but Maysilee punches her in the face. She cups her eye then sinks to the ground, knocked out.

"What was that for?" yells Bevel. "You knocker her out!" She pounces on Maysilee, and they tumble to the ground, punching and kicking each other. Me and Aria try to pry them off each other, but they're too engaged in their fight. Bevel is as strong as Maysilee, and they claw at each other like maniacs.

After about ten minutes of shouting, blood, and punching, we are finally able to pull them off each other. I pick up Maysilee and carry her while she screams and swears. "THE FREAK KILLED SAGE! SHE HAS TO DIE! LET ME GO NOW! LET ME GO!" Within thirty seconds, Bevel and I become the targets of every choice swear word District 12 has to offer.

As I'm restraining Maysilee, I notice a gleam of silver a few centimetres away from me.

A parachute.

What could we possibly need food now for? Even so, I kick it open and spot a syringe resting inside.

Then it hits me. Sleep syrup. Exactly what I need.

Still carrying Maysilee, I bend down, grab the syringe, and plunge the needle into her arm. Her eyes glaze over; in five seconds she is unconcious, sleeping silently. I rush over and sedate Bevel, who is struggling against Aria. She slumps to the ground, with Aria unable to support her weight.

"Thanks Callie," I say out loud. It's good to have a smart mentor.

Aria stands there, panting. It must have been quite a challenge to hold off Bevel, who is twice as tall as Aria, with her slight frame. I look her over, and it's clear that she can't be more than twelve years old. I should have noticed that when I met her during training. I would've taken the poor thing under our wing, but yet again, she has managed to outlast more than half the competition.

"Sorry about that," I say to Aria. She smiles.

"Sorry about Bevel, too. She's always been a bit irrationally combustible, turbulent even." she answers.

Oh, District 3. Only a person from 3 would describe a person as 'irrationally combustible'.

"Hey, I would ask you if you wanted to be allies, but that would require a lot more sleep syrup for Maysilee."

Aria laughs. "Yes, unquestionably so. She's a bit like a Uranium-234 compound. Volatile and prone to sudden change."

"Um….yeah. Exactly. Sorry about the cello, too. I think I should probably take Maysilee back to our camp. Well…bye."

"Bye," echoes Aria. I pick up Maysilee and begin to walk back to the camp.

As I pass the tree where Sage was, the impact of her death finally starts to hit me. Another friend dead. Another friend gone. Forever.

I remember playing with her as a little kid, climbing trees, running around, having fun without a care in the world. All of that is gone, and will never return.

I feel as though someone whacked my stomach with a giant paddle and knocked a big part of me away. I could always talk to Sage, we could always say whatever we want without the other teasing. She saw me for who I was, not just that snarky prankster with a drunk old mother. I could trust her. And she's gone…

That's what the Capitol does. They crush everyone's dreams and pretend that it's our fault, that we caused this. I stare at my token-bracelet, the one that reads 'Down With the Capitol'. I now fully and completely understand that the Capitol has got to go. What did we do to make them force us to fight to the death? What did we do to deserve this? Nothing. That's what.

We finally reach our campsite after twenty minutes, and I plop Maysilee down next to me.

I sit there on my log, pondering what the heck I'm going to do. I'm beginning to lose my confidence. I've been lured into a trap, injured by Careers, and lost multiple friends. I sit idle for a while, a few hours maybe, just sulking.

With a flourish, the anthem begins suddenly. I gaze up at the sky, and the seal of Panem shines above me, illuminating my surroundings.

The first one to show is Electra.

Oh dear God, not Electra… I forbid myself to think about my grief. That will only cause me to do rash things. Instead, I just put her out of my mind. I can't think about her. Not now, anyway…

I know who is coming next. I bury my face in my hands. I peek through them, and see my old friend Sage in the sky, her straight dark hair encompassing her round face. She smiles proudly, like she's having the best time in the world, as if she wasn't off to her death.

Oh, Sage. How wrong you were.

The anthem ends, and the sky goes dark.

Maysilee begins to stir, and her icy blue eyes flutter open.

"Hey," she says. "Hey," I reply gently. "You okay?"

Maysilee smiles. "I think the question is, are _you _okay. You had to restrain me. Did I hurt you too bad?"

"I've felt worse," I answer. "Like on the day I met you."

She giggles a little, no doubt at the memory of our fight on the train.

"I still have scars from that…um, Haymitch? What's that noise?"

I start to feel a rumbling, a vibration that begins at my toes and courses through my body. The ground begins to shake.

I look behind me, and I find it hard not to notice the river of lava bearing down on us.

"I!"I!"I!"I!"I!"!I"!I!I"!"I!I"!I"!I"!I"!"II!"!I"I!"!I"!I"!I"!I"!"I!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"!I"I!"!I

REMAINING TRIBUTES

1

Diamond Maligna

Topaz Stalactite

2

3

Aria Cellomen

Bevel Joulessly

4

Paco Kantum

5

6

7

Cedar Raffen

8

Mary Kingsley

9

Esmerelda Traitum

10

Logan Destiny

Meg Martini

11

Peter Zucchini

Ash Willamstead

12

Haymitch Abernathy

Maysilee Donner


	18. Volcanoes Suck

**Chapter 19: Volcanoes Suck**

**A/N: YAYYY! REVIEWS! I now have no shortage of reviews! Thanks for reviewing! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

**Anyway, we are coming close to the final showdown. Oooooooh suspense…..but you already know that Haymitch will win, and if you've read Catching Fire, you know who the final two are. MWAHAHAHAAHAHAHA (INSERT EVIL LAUGH HERE) :D Enjoy the chapter!**

**P.S. I used a Suzanne Collins quote in the chapter. Can you find it? ,:)**

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"RUN!" I scream at Maysilee.

"Wow, no kidding, smart one!" she calls back. "Grab the supplies!"

I hastily grab as many things as I can. The spile, some food, my packs, my weapons, then I start to sprint alongside Maysilee, who carries the remaining supplies and weapons in her pack. The biting wind begins to smell of ash and burning cinders, and I glance back for a split second.

The previously pristine mountain is now a hellhole. Literally. In place of the snow-capped summit is a large crater, seeping glowing red liquid. Fissures are beginning to form in the surface of the ground. The terrifying river of destruction crashes through the woods, destroying everything in its wake. Trees, animals, large chunks of land slide down the exploding mountain. Giant spinning fireballs soar out of the crater like fireworks, igniting the places where they hit with golden flames. I can just vaguely make out other tributes fleeing the magma and sliding land and ice, some getting swallowed up by the fire. Smoke pollutes the air, forming an orange-ish haze. It's one big combination of a volcanic eruption, a landslide, a mudslide, and an avalanche.

"TO THE BASE!" I shout at Maysilee. That's the only safe haven I can think of. We scramble down the slope, and I can hear the rumbling of the lava growing closer and closer. We leap over fissures, over boulders, over fallen trees. I spot my old alliance about one hundred yards behind us, scrambling for their lives. The ground shakes and vibrates more and more violently with every second, threatening to send us flying sky-high.

After fifteen minutes of terror, sweat, and scuffling, the base of the mountain is finally visible. Beyond it lies a large meadow of flowers, then an expanse of deciduous trees. "THE MEADOW! THE MEA—ARGGGHHH!"

I trip over a dead log and fall head first onto the solid ground. I tumble, slamming into rocks and trees and who knows what. Somehow, Maysilee gets knocked over too, and we both bounce toward the base, gaining bruises and cuts every time we slam against the dirt and snow. I feel a sharp rock slash where my cheek wound is almost healed, and it opens up again, blood pouring out.

Suddenly, I feel a heavy thump on my head. I pull my legs closer to my head, my body locked in the fetal position. Then I realize we aren't falling anymore. I sit up, though my body complains.

The flow of magma is starting to diminish, and although it trickles thinly, it slides much more rapidly. I force myself to ignore the dull pain and bouncing vibrations in my head. "WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING!" yells Maysilee. She points to the mountain.

Not only are mud, ice, and magma sliding down the slopes, but we have a new threat to deal with. The Careers, albeit only the remaining three, have spotted us, and are both fleeing the explosion and chasing after us. "I thought they were in the woods!" I call. After the Bloodbath, I could have sworn that they went to the woods. I guess my encounter with them on the mountain a week ago should have tipped me off…

"Haymitch, WATCH OUT!"

I glance behind me, and I see a big huge chunk of black obsidian tumbling toward me. I try to get up and elude it, but my body won't respond. _This is it, _I think. _This really will be my end. _

The last thing I see before blacking out is Topaz's bloody face, cackling with glee.

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I open my eyes, and a ray of warm sunlight encompasses my vision. I groan and try to bat it away, but my right hand aches when I try to lift it, so I quickly let it fall back to the ground. My bruises and cuts are basically screaming pain. I see that the soles of my boots are falling out, my red shirt torn and stained with blood, and my arm is smeared green and purple. Probably sprained.

The scent of cooking meat floods the air. I sit up, though my muscles protest, and look around.

I am in the woods, but the air is milder and thicker than the boreal forest I was previously residing in. The trees aren't the snow-capped pines on the mountain, rather, wrinkly oaks and maples and cedars stand tall, sunlight streaming through the branches. Ash is turning a slab of meat on a spit over a fire, Peter is mixing some sort of stew, Mary is sharpening her sword, and a groggy Maysilee is slurping up some stew.

I rub my eyes. "Where am I?" I ask. My voice comes out throaty and raspy. I cough, and I notice my throat seems to be clogged up.

"In the 50th Annual Hunger Games, Second Quarter Quell." An annoyed-looking Mary answers. Her voice is just as raspy as mine, but still has its usual sarcastic edge. I roll my eyes. "Thanks, Mary. Always helpful."

Peter looks up from the boiling stew. "We saw you and Maysilee running from the volcano, like us. The Careers were chasing you. You started screaming something about a black boulder when the Careers came closer. Diamond from 1 started attacking you, but Esmerelda tackled him to the ground. Topaz and Paco just kept running.

Huh. So there was no boulder of obsidian. "Where's Diamond?" I ask.

"Right here," replies Ash. She gestures toward a thrashing figure gagged and bound to a tree. He catches sight of me alive and well , and he flails even harder. Mary knocks his head with the butt of her sword, and he slumps down, unconscious.

"High five," I say, chuckling. I hold up my left hand, but wait….

"Um…where is my hand?"

In place of my left hand is a stump wrapped in a bloody cloth.

"To your right," answers Mary, not looking up from her turquoise-tinted sword.

I look to my right, and to my horror, my hand lies on the ground, the end of it coated in blood.

"WHAT THE-"

The five of them burst out laughing.

"Fooled you! Take off your cloth!"

I unravel the cloth from my left arm, and sure enough, my hand is perfectly intact. My shocked expression only sends them into crazier fits of laughter.

"Then whose hand is that?" I point to the dismembered hand on the ground.

Peter holds up a stick smeared in talc and berry juice. "That, my friend, is the beauty of camoflauging a rock as a hand."

I smile and shake my head. "Wow, guys. Just-just wow. So why and how long was I unconscious?"

Their grins and laughter fade. "Before Esmerelda pushed Diamond off, he punched you unconscious."

"And where's Esmerelda and everyone else?"

All of my allies hesitate, and some stare at the ground. Mary finally speaks up.

"In wooden boxes underground. Diamond stabbed Esmerelda before we could tie him up. We're the only ones in our former group left. Districts 3 and 7 died too."

Logan. Esmerelda. Aria. Bevel. Cedar. More of my friends dead. More of my friends I will never see again.

The death that hits me the hardest is Esmerelda. The girl with the prophecies. This sounds cold and selfish, but I will never get to ask her more about her prophecies, more about the Capitol falling, more about my fate. She was nice, too. All of them were. But they're gone… just like Sage and Sparkes and Electra and Taylor and-

_Stop, Haymitch, _I command myself. _Thinking like that will not get you anywhere._

I decide to change the subject. "So, why is Diamond tied up? We could hold him for hostage from the Careers, but they care too much about themselves to give us supplies."

Ash smirks. "Actually, we've been using him to test out the meat. We fed him some groosling, and he hasn't died yet, so we're making stew. We can also force him to do our bidding."

At first I like the idea of making him serve us, but my conscience starts to weigh in. We aren't President Snow. We can't just treat people like Avoxes…

"Can we just kill him?" I ask innocently.

"Once we get him to spill out where the Careers are hiding. When everyone's healed up, we're hunting them down." answers Peter.

"I don't think that will be necessary," says Diamond from behind us.

We whirl around and find that Diamond's gag and ropes have been cut off, and he now leans against the tree, smirking at us evilly.

I hear a yelp, and I turn to my left and find that Ash is slipping to the ground, her throat slit in a bright red ellipse. And behind her is Topaz and Paco, sneering, brandishing axes and tridents in their hands.

Topaz slinks forward, clucking her tongue and tapping her axe blade against her finger.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A scrawny textile slave, two pieces of skimpy corn from Eleven – oh, wait for it…and… BOOM!" Ash's cannon thunders through the woods. "There. That makes one piece of skimpy corn from Eleven. Oh, and what do you know? The madly-in-love coal mining freaks. Tell me, sweeties, how is your relationship going in this fine arena in which neither of you will ever make it out of alive?"

Okay, she did _not_ just go there.

"We're not 'madly in love' you idiot. And what about your boyfriend? Are you sad that we tied him up and that you abandoned him when we attacked him?"

Topaz growls and pulls Diamond close to her. "Diamond was trapped doing a noble deed. We didn't realize he was gone until we stopped, now did we, babe?" She smashes her lips against Diamond's, and he responds enthusiastically.

Mary makes pretend gagging noises. "Yeah, so it's your choice, Topaz. You can either stand there and seduce Diamond and talk about his 'noble deed', or you have some dignity and fight us."

Topaz detaches herself from Diamond and scowls.

"I think you know the answer to that," replies Paco darkly.

Topaz and Paco start to advance, and so do Mary, Peter, and Maysilee.

"Wait!" I call out before I can stop myself.

"What!" Topaz snaps.

"It wouldn't be a fair fight. Me and Maysilee are both still injured."

The Careers snicker. "And why should we care?" asks Diamond, arching his eyebrows disdainfully.

I decide to play up my snarky side. "Well, for starters, it wouldn't be fair. If you fought us now, then it would mean you are so low that you try to kill injured people. It would make you a coward. You would lose your dignity. And nothing matters more to a Career than dignity, right?"

The Careers just stare at me like I'm retarded. "Think about this, Twelvie." says Topaz.

"Don't call me 'Twelvie'." I retort.

"SHUT UP! Now as I was saying, think about this," Topaz pauses and smirks. "Twelvie. If you and the dumb blonde sat out of the fight, that would make three against three. As a matter of fact, that is _completely_ fair."

"Well, judging by your dishonorable track record, you probably will skewer us while we sit out. Isn't that right?"

Topaz rolls her eyes. "Quit being noble. I think that you're really just too scared to fight us. Am I right, Paco and Diamond?"

"As always," replies Paco.

"Good. Diamond?"

Silence.

"Diamond? Where are you? Diamond?"

She turns around and finds Diamond, slumped on the ground, a knife protruding from his heart. Peter stands behind him.

Topaz kneels down shakes him violently. "Diamond? DIAMOND! Are you okay, babe?"

The boom of the cannon answers her question.

I expect her to scream or cry or attack us or even show any sign of remote affection, but she just gets up and shrugs.

"He was nothing, really. Just another one of my…slaves."

I gape at her. Her freaking boyfriend just died, and she shrugs and acts like it's no big deal? What kind of twisted person is she?

I search her snake-like amber eyes for any sort of sorrow, but she seems completely fine. Amused, even.

Suddenly, up in the trees, I see a flash of gold, a light blue eye. Maysilee. I didn't have a clue that she had gone up there.

She starts to gesture to me, Mary, and Peter. She grabs a leaf and etches in words with a stick. She holds up the leaf. It reads "When I put three fingers to my lips then point them outward, run away as fast as you can. Distract Topaz."

Thank god Topaz's back is to her. I glance at my other allies, and they nod.

"You are so sick," I say slowly to Topaz, emphasizing each word and shaking my head. "You may not be sad now, but I swear, he will haunt you in your dreams for the rest of your life. You're going to regret your little… _reaction_ there."

Paco snorts. "And how exactly do you think she'll regret it?"

Maysilee gives the signal rapidly. I nod.

"LIKE THIS!" she calls.

I see her cut something round off the tree branch, and watch it tumble toward the two Career's heads.

A tracker jacker nest.

"RUN!" I scream. Quick as lightning, me and my allies run away from the trees, running like we've never ran before. Maysilee jumps out of the tree before the nest hits the ground and sprints with us. Once we're a safe distance away, we turn around and survey the damage.

The emotion I feel when I first see the scene is satisfaction. Tracker jackers swarm around the area, whizzing and butting into everything. There have got to be at least a thousand of them. They move so rapidly that they seem to form a spinning cloud around the Careers. Topaz is shrieking and trying to bat them away, while Paco is blindly stumbling around. They finally have the sense to flee from the scene after a few minutes, but it's obvious that they received numerous stings. Even from a distance, they look bloated and disoriented as they crash through the trees.

"Holy crap…" says Meg, staring at the attack. "Good one, Maysilee!"

"Yeah! That was clever!" agrees Peter.

"Even on my standards!" Mary says.

I'm still speechless, in awe of the cleverness of it all. All I can manage to get out is:

"Wow."

"Hey, check out the mountain!" exclaims Maysilee.

I turn around, and am shocked at what I see. Where the beautiful, lush mountain used to be is now a black mass of stone, still smoldering, with lava flowing lightly from the crater. It seems especially dark against the pink and orange bland of the sunset.

My reverie is interrupted by the cannon, no doubt from one of the Careers dying. "Who do you think it was?" asks Meg.

"Hopefully Topaz," I admit. "She would give us hell if she was alive."

"Well, the sun's setting, and I think the death toll should be starting soon…"

Sure enough, the anthem starts to play, and the seal of Panem shines in the sky.

"Why is it that every time we say the death toll will start soon, the death toll happens immediately?" Maysilee points out.

"Because we're awesome like that." is Mary's well thought-out reply.

We plop down in the meadow and stare up at the sky.

The first one to show is Diamond, sneering down at us. Then Bevel and Aria from 3. Paco.

We sigh in disappointment. Looks like we still have to deal with Topaz…

Cedar. Esmerelda. Logan. Ash.

The anthem ends, and the sky goes dark again.

"You know what?" Maysilee asks.

"What?"

"Topaz doesn't have any allies anymore. She'll have to fend for herself instead of leaning on the other Careers. I heard her tell Paco something about running out of supplies awhile ago. And you know what that means?"

"What?"

"Topaz could starve to death. She'll be hungry unless she gets sponsors. You know, we actually stand a chance now. It's down to 6 people, 5 against 1."

There's a long pause, then a wide grin lights up my face.

"Then let the 50th Annual Hunger Games begin, Topaz. Let them begin for real."

~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|)~||~)~)|~)|~)|~)||~)~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|)~|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~)|~

**REMAINING TRIBUTES**

1

Topaz Stalactite

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Mary Kingsley

9

10

Meg Martini

11

Peter Zucchini

12

Haymitch Abernathy

Maysilee Donner


	19. I Become District 12's First Surfer Dude

**Chapter 20: I Become District Twelve's First Surfer Dude**

**A/N: Hell hello hellloooo there! I got a few more great reviews, so thank you! :D**

**I'm obsessed with polls, so I posted a new one on my profile concerning how to pronounce 'Greasy Sae'. Please vote in it if you have the time!**

**Since I've been getting maybe 3 or 4 or even 5 reviews per chapter, (I know it's not a lot but it's a lot to me!) I'm going to make a challenge for you guys.**

**THE CHALLENGE:**

**In the 74****th**** HG, there were quite a few unnamed tributes. Boy/girl from 3. B/G from 4. Boy from 5. Both from 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. These are the tributes who have yet to have a name. **

**Some of you have read my story **_**Tail of a Fox: The Story of the Fox-Faced Girl**_**. I've only posted two chapters of it, because I've dropped that story until I finish this one. But when I do start writing TOAF again, this is where you come in. ****Whoever writes my 50****th**** review on this story gets to name an unnamed tribute of their choice (not Foxface, I named her) for TOAF.**** Finch (Foxface) will have a special encounter with that tribute, and I'll post a shout out on here, my profile, and TOAF.**

**MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR.**

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::CHAPTER 20:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

We trek through the open meadow by the Cornucopia, me and my allies, albeit cautiously for fear of other tributes tracking us.

Oh, that's right. There's only one other tribute. And honestly, with those tracker jacker stings, she's as good as dead by now. We rule this arena.

But a thought, burrowed deep inside my brain since the Games started, emerges.

"This alliance can't last forever."

Maysilee, Peter, Meg, and Mary stop in their tracks, with unreadable expressions crossing their faces.

"Wow, what an insightful thought. I'm sure nobody has ever thought of _that_ before, Mr. Genius." Mary says, sarcasm filling her low voice, still a bit raspy from the eruption.

I roll my eyes. "That's not what I'm saying. I mean, what if Topaz dropped dead right this second? Then what would we do?"

They stop for a moment, pondering this. "I guess we would have to break away," says Meg.

"Because what would it be like if it came down to the four of us? What would it be like to have to kill each other?" Peter points out.

"Exactly," I reply. "So I hate to have to admit it, but I think…I think we need to end this."

Silence for a moment, while this sinks in.

"Wait a minute…" says Maysilee quietly. "Topaz isn't dead. Yet. I say that we have a little fun today, _then _we end the alliance and go our separate ways. How does that sound?"

"But what do you mean, have some fun? This is the arena! We can't have any fun!" Meg protests.

"Yeah, it is the arena," I say. "But think about it. We've rebelled against the Careers' authority. We, from the poorest Districts, became the most popular in the Games. We outsmarted the Careers, got sponsors, created a massive alliance - heck, we've made it to the final six out of forty-eight freakin' tributes! In short, we've done the impossible. So I think that having fun in the arena is just another supposedly impossible task that we can manage."

Another moment of silence.

Mary snorts. "Okay, well thanks for the inspirational speech, but you could've summed it up with 'Nah, what the heck, Maysilee's right'. Just putting that out there."

"Well, thanks for that heartwarming reply," I pout. Mary grins. "My pleasure. So where should we go 'have fun'?"

"How about that ocean to the east?" suggests Peter.

"What ocean to the east?"

"Hm, I don't know, maybe you should try looking east and finding the large expanse of blue water!" Peter retorts.

"Well thank you, Captain Obvious."

"Did you not just ask 'What ocean to the east?'?"

"Guys, just break it up so we can get a move on!" Maysilee shouts over the din.

Mary and Peter reluctantly shut up and move toward the east. Sure enough, a turquoise sea filled with gentle waves lies ahead of us. We race toward the sandy beach dotted with palm trees, and the air suddenly becomes warmer and moister. White birds fly overhead, emitting weird screeching noises from their long orange beaks.

We finally arrive at the beach, the scent of saltwater and fish spreading across the air. "Anyone know how to swim?" Meg calls.

"I do," I reply.

"How?" asks Maysilee.

"The bath tubs in Victor's Village are huge," I answer, smiling sheepishly.

Maysilee raises her eyebrow skeptically, but she just shrugs it off.

Of course, I couldn't tell them the real answer. Not in front of Panem and the Capitol, anyway.

Sometimes, when me and Calvin and Artemis were getting into trouble and Rex would spot us, we would make a mad dash for the electric fence. Well, I shouldn't really say 'electric', because the fence is never charged. We just duck under a weak spot and make a run for it in the woods. Sometimes, we even would stab small animals with sticks, and we would have dinner that night.

Anyway, one day when we were spiking Rex's drink with laxatives and such two years ago, we thought we saw Rex and we ran for the fence for the first time. When we got to the woods, I was really interested, so we dared to trek even further into them. Then we came across a glassy lake. I don't know how it happened, but Artemis and Calvin and I kind of taught ourselves to swim. It's not like we were really good or anything, but we could stay afloat and go under water and swim a few yards. That's how I learned to swim.

"We have rivers by the orchards and we play in them after work is done," says Peter. "So yeah, I know how. Well come on, let's just get in the water!"

We rush for the crystal-clear water and throw off our boots and socks. I sigh as the water touches my disgusting, sweaty toes. The sensation is a lot different from the lake; it tingles and fluctuates, tickling on contact. I break into a run and dash parallel to the water, letting the waves spray me. I throw off my jagged shirt. The thing is so filthy and torn up that it barely exists anymore. I just let it fall into the waves, and I wade into waist-deep water. I hold my breath and duck under the sea.

It's almost as if an entire world was hiding underneath the surface of the water. Sparkling little towers of brightly colored rock stick up from the cold sand. Rainbow fish swim throughout little holes in these towers. I swim out a little deeper, and something grazes my leg. I recoil in panic, only to realize it was a giant green shell, with a little head poking out, bobbing up and down. A turtle.

My lungs start to complain, so I pop up for air, the water coming to my shoulders now.

Peter is skillfully stoking back and forth, spinning around and laughing as the tide sprays around him. I look toward the shore. Mary and Meg have reluctantly stepped into the water, and are splashing each other, obviously intrigued by the whole concept of an ocean. I guess I don't blame them; you don't have much experience with the sea when you're stuck milling textiles or tending cattle. Or mining coal, for that matter.

Maysilee still stays just in reach of the water, cowering with fear. I swim over to her and stand up. "What's wrong?" I ask. Maysilee sighs, averting my gaze. "Haymitch…I guess…I think I'm a little…scared." She chokes out the last word as if it were the biggest humiliation in the world. I smile sympathetically. "There's nothing to be scared of," I try to convince her. "Come on!" I grab her arm and pull her into the water. She struggles at first, but soon realizes that she's no match for my strength. Maysilee finally succumbs and lets me to pull her into the waves.

"Hey," she laughs. "That feels kinda good…" The surf bubbles up around her, making her short build look even more petite as the bubbles rise to her shoulders.

"Try going underwater," I dare her. "Just hold your breath and go under until your breath runs out."

Maysilee hesitates. "Okay!" She takes a deep breath and goes under. After five seconds, she comes up, coughing. "You alright?" "Yeah. I'll try again."

She ducks underneath again, and this time, I go down with her. She opens her eyes. I wave to her, and she waves back, smiling. Her hand traces a path through the water, rippling my vision and making everything all the more distorted. And mysterious, I might add. Mysteriously beautiful. We come back up.

I feel another thing brush against my bare chest, this one slimier. Maysilee yelps as the two grey things circle around us. Finally they pop their heads up. Dolphins, I think. It may not be wise, but I climb noto one's back, and Maysilee does the same. The creatures jump up and down, playing and splashing, while Peter, Meg, and Mary stare at us, laughing. Finally, after fifteen minutes, the dolphins make a silly laughing noise and swim away, one of them hitting me in the face with its tail by accident. At least, I hope that it was by accident…

For the next hour or two, I teach her how to do the basic stroke. Maysilee is a quick learner, and by three hours later, she's splashing around and racing me.

"Hey! Guys!" Peter calls. "Let's make smurf boards!"

Maysilee and I swim over to him. "What the heck is a smurf board?" I ask.

"Remember last year's Games? When the arena was like a beach?"

"Yeah," I say.

That year, both of our tributes were dead within two minutes of the beginning of the Games. In fact, the girl stepped off her plate early and blew up. We beat the all-time record for earliest death in the history of the Games. Yeah, how could I forget those Games in which our tributes brought us such glory?

"Okay, so do you remember that dude from Four…Triton Odair, I think, who carved a plank of wood and, like, rode on top of the waves on it? I'm saying we could build those. I think they call it…smurfing?"

"Oh, you mean surfing?" says Meg.

"Yeah. Wasn't that awesome? I think that's why he won, because that earned him sponsors. We probably won't be able to do it right, but we could at least try,"

"All right."

We chop down a few palm trees with my axe and assemble smooth wooden boards, circular on the sides but pointy on the ends, so they resemble straightened-out bananas.

Eventually, we go back down to the water and try to ride the waves like Triton Odair did last year. Long story short, we all pretty much fail. Every time I almost stand up on the board, it slips out from underneath me. Thank goodness we tied them to our feet with ropes, or they would all be smashed within thirty seconds. As the day goes by, the waves grow larger and larger. By the time I can crouch on the board at nightfall, the waves are each ten feet tall. There's another part of the beach about 1000 yards away where the waves are dangerously high, up to maybe thirty feet tall.

For about half an hour we stand a safe distance away from the thirty-foot waves, gazing in awe. They crash down like thunder, like nothing we've ever seen. It reminds me of a monster, opening its wide mouth, then rushing and clamping down its jaw, eating up the sand and fish.

"Hey, where's Meg?" asks Peter. We look around, and Meg is nowhere to be found.

"MEG!" calls Mary at the top of her lungs. We're beginning to worry. Could Topaz have found her? Could she have drowned? Swallowed up by the waves?

"Over here!" Meg yells. She strides toward us, carrying a bunch of shellfish and fish on her board. "Surprise!" she exclaims giddily, plopping the board of sea creatures in front of us.

We build a fire far away from the waves and sit on logs, telling jokes and stories in the light of the burning embers. Meg cooks the fish, saying how it's barely any different from slaughtering a cow and cooking it, and since the meat isn't poisonous hopefully we won't keel over and die. "Well, thanks for those mental images," says Mary.

The fish is good, nice and tender and a little smoky. The shellfish tastes delicious, even if it's a bit slimy. Honestly, this is probably the best dinner a tribute's ever gotten in the Games.

After a while, a parachute floats down from the sky. Peter reaches for it and twists it open, staring at the contents. "Wow, no way!" He holds up five containers of Jello, each one either green, red, purple, orange, or turquoise. "Oh wait, there's more!" He pulls out a can of spicy red sauce. "Because everyone loves to combine Jello and spicy sauce," jokes Mary. "It's for the shellfish, you idiot," chimes Meg, punching her arm happily.

We sit for another hour, just talking. Maysilee performs a hilarious impression of Kolonpi, and we tell the others about the Bipolar Octopus of Death, sending them into fits of laughter.

Suddenly, I notice that Peter and Meg are gone. "Where's Peter and Meg?" I ask worriedly. "Over there, snogging," answers Maysilee. Sure enough, the two of them are off to the side, kissing passionately.

"I have an idea," Mary whispers. She puts a finger to her lips. Mary creeps behind Meg and leans in close to her ear. Of course, this looks hilarious, because neither Peter nor Meg notice her, and they just continue snogging. Just as she gets close enough to Meg's ear, she makes a loud cackling noise that sounds exactly like the sea birds, while at the same time, she thumps Meg's back as hard as she can. The result is instantaneous.

Meg and Peter's heads collide forcefully, and they both scream and fall backwards. The other three of us are laughing and hooting and wolf-whistling so hard that a deaf person on the other side of the arena would probably be able to hear us loud and clear. But who cares- let Topaz come if she wants to. We can take her!

The best thing, though, is that blood trickles from Meg's lip. "Did I bit your lip?" Peter asks sheepishly.

"Take a wild guess," says Meg, also laughing. Peter shrugs. "Sorry babe," he kisses her one more time, then breaks away. "Way to go, lip-eater! What, are you becoming a Titus?" I say jokingly. Titus was a crazy freak from Six who went cannibalistic in the First Quarter Quell.

"Why yes, Haymitch, I kissed Meg just so I could eat her lips!"

This only makes us all laugh even harder. "Hey, I'm gonna go restock on shellfish," Meg says. Peter immediately jumps up. "Not without me!" Meg rolls her eyes. "Well, I guess you aren't bad company, even if you do eat my face," she says good-naturedly. They walk down the beach, hand in hand, laughing.

"So when did they get all in to each other?" asks Mary as soon as Peter and Meg are out of ear shot.

I shrug. "I don't know. There's three explanations: They like each other a lot, they somehow got drunk off of Jello, or Peter has turned into a Titus."

We laugh at the ridiculous idea of friendly Peter becoming a cannibal.

"I'm gonna gather some coconuts for dessert. I'll be right back."

Mary gets up and walks away, leaving only me and Maysilee.

"I guess today was a pretty good day," Maysilee comments.

I smile. "I guess you're right. After all, we just became District Twelve's first surfer dudes."

We talk and laugh for a few more minutes, but we're interrupted by a loud scream and the boom of the cannon.

"Oh god, I hope that was Topaz…" I say.

"Was it?" asks Maysilee.

But a minute later, we find the answer to Maysilee's question.

Meg and Peter trudge toward us, their heads bowed. And in their arms is a dead body. I squint to see who it is, my heart dropping. It's not Topaz. I catch a flash of dark auburn hair, bright blue eyes staring into the full luminous moon, unblinking.

Mary.

Peter and Meg arrive, tears running down their faces, still carrying her limp body. An axe blade is embedded in her collarbone. Attached to the axe handle is a small note. I grab the note to see what it says.

_This is what happens when you question my dominance. I am on the move._

_Topaz Stalactite_

:"?:":?:"?:"":"?:"?"?":"?":?"?"::"?:"?":?":?":?":"/"?":?":?":":?:"?":?"?":?":?"?"?":?":?"?"?":?:"?":?"?":"

**REMAINING TRIBUTES: THE FINAL FIVE (MWAHAHAHAHA!)**

1** Topaz Stalactite**

**10 Meg Martini**

**11 Peter Zucchini**

**12 Haymitch Abernathy**

**12 Maysilee Donner**

**And a moment of silence for Mary….:'(**


	20. To Kill a Mockingjay

**Chapter 21: To Kill a Mockingjay**

**A/N: This is it. In this chapter, we will finally arrive at the final two. The next chapter will be the showdown. **

**LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…**

**LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!**

**()_()_()_()_()_()_()_()_(_()_(_))(_()_(_)(_)(_)(_)(_(_)(_)()(_(_(_)(_(_(_(_(_)(_)(_)_()))((((()))))))))))))(**

We trudge through the open meadow, the one we came across when walking to the beach, the one where I blacked out, the one where Esmerelda was killed; so many dark memories lie here, here in this ironically bright green meadow filled with wild flowers and some dried blood from the Bloodbath.

Our heads are ducked, not a word coming from our lips, stained with the grease of shellfish from last night. No one seems even able to talk; our minds are too flooded with memories of Mary. The girl who sassed the Careers on the hovercraft, the girl who led the alliance of 8, 9, and 10, the girl with the dark red hair as fiery as her bold spirit and sharp tongue.

"Let's stop here," I mumble, verbalizing the first words that have been spoken this morning. The alliance comes to an abrupt halt, gazing expectantly at my grim face, waiting for me to say something.

"I think we need to split up now. It's down to the five of us, anyway. I don't want it to come to…"

They nod in understanding. "But how do we know that once we walk away from each other, someone might stab someone's back?" asks Meg glumly, pushing a strand of her chocolate-brown hair out of her face.

"Now do you really think we would do that to each other? After all we've been through together?" scoffs Maysilee.

"Good point," Meg mutters.

"So…I guess this is it…" Peter says slowly, his golden brown eyes glistening with tears.

"Yeah."

"Guys…I want you to know that you…you've been the most loyal, courageous, honorable allies I could have ever had. I hate to admit it, but this is the last time we will ever be together until we all die. I…I'll miss you." I speak, choking back a sob.

"I know it sounds cheesy, but…group hug?"

The four of us gather into one big huddle, relishing the feeling of being with three other friends. After a few minutes, we pull away.

"We all need to go separate directions, I guess. Um…goodbye…and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Maysilee turns around and walks to the east toward the beach, where the rising sun is awakening. I take one last look at Maysilee Donner, my most loyal friend in the arena. Then I force myself to turn and head to the west, toward the jungle, leaving the remaining two allies to choose the deciduous woods or the barren mountain. As I'm entering the line that marks the beginning of the humid forest, I hear a sob. I turn around and see Meg burying her face in her hands in the meadow, while Peter wraps his arms around her. They don't see me.

"Peter…" she whispers through her tears. "I don't want do this anymore! I love you too much!"

"I really wish it didn't have to end this way. But you…you promised. It's for the greater good. You know this is what is meant to happen. I love you." Peter plants one gentle, lingering kiss on Meg's lips. Peter steps away a few feet and faces her.

I think Meg's just sad because she has to leave him, but I still stick around.

Meg picks up her bow and arrow, attaches an arrow to the string, and points it toward Peter's chest, ready to shoot. She cries harder, shaking violently? Wait, is she going to…?

Peter's face is dripping with tears, too. "Do it, Meg," He whispers. "Please."

Meg closes her eyes. "Okay," she whispers, almost inaudibly.

Meg releases the arrow with a scream. It flies toward Peter, lodging itself in his chest. She scrambles over to him, laying him down on his back. "Peter, I shouldn't have done this! Why did you make me? WHY?"

He puts a finger to his lips. "You know why, love. It had to happen. Goodbye." He pulls Meg down for one last kiss.

The cannon booms.

Did…did Meg just kill her own boyfriend? Thoughts race through my head, questions that can never be answered. What did he mean by 'it had to happen'? Why did she agree to kill him? Why did she promise?

Meg lets out the worst scream I have ever heard, even worse than the one Ivy let out ages ago.

I whirl around and watch her burst into tears again. She kisses his forehead and runs away to the south as the hovercraft comes whirring down, carrying Peter's body toward the relentless sun, blood staining his dark skin and green shirt.

I sit on the moist soil, letting it fall through my fingers.

What just happened?

_No, don't think about Peter_, I force myself. It will only make it worse.

I suddenly feel a strange urge to see Maysilee. Before I can stop myself, I'm dashing out of the jungle and to the east, across the meadow and onto the sandy shore. "MAYSILEE! MAYSILEEEEEEE!" I scream. I need a friend right now. Someone to talk to, someone to-

"Haymitch?" gasps the unmistakable voice of Maysilee. I spot her sitting on a rock that juts out into the water, sea spraying into her face, the little fabric remaining of her shirt flapping in the wind. I burst onto the slippery grey boulder and plop down next to her. She smiles. "Honestly, I was hoping you'd come back. I had a feeling you would…"

"Maysilee, something awful just happened." I recount the events that just took place. The strange conversation of Meg and Peter, Peter's heart-wrenching death. Maysilee just gapes, completely speechless.

"What could it mean?" she whispers in awe. I shake my head. "I don't know, and I have a feeling I never will."

We sit in silence for a while. "It's good to have an ally again," I say.

"So you couldn't survive five minutes without one?"

I feel my cheeks redden. I can't seem weak! "No, no, it's just…um…"

Maysilee laughs. "It's okay, I couldn't either. The entire time…I couldn't stop thinking about you."

After a long pause, she speaks again. "I miss Mike."

"Who's Mike?" I ask.

"My boyfriend," she replies.

"What's he like?"

Maysilee sighs. "Well…he has blonde hair…sparkling blue eyes…oh, I can't get over those eyes…and he would never judge me. He wouldn't judge anyone. He's like a male version of Sage. He's gentle, sweet, loving…he's exactly who I'm not, but he still loves me. He likes to call me his Mockingjay. Before I left, he proposed to me. He said that when I turn eighteen, if I come back, he wants to marry me. I agreed, of course. He couldn't afford a ring, so he got me this."

She points to the Mockingjay pin on her chest, the one with the Mockingjay flying in a circle of gold.

"That's sweet," I say. "I have a girlfriend. Her name is Artemis. Artemis Falcon. She was Sage's best friend. Just take me, transform me into a female, and you have Artemis. She's bold and daring, but she's also compassionate. She nursed my injuries when I got into a fight. That's how we met; her sister Athena beat me up." I laugh a little, then tell Maysilee about our petty little fight.

"Is that the one that almost won the Games three years ago?" Maysilee asks. "Yeah," I reply.

"She gave me the bracelet on my arm. Sometimes I wish she was right here beside me, but then again, we're in the Hunger Games, so that wouldn't end well."

That earns a laugh from Maysilee. "What does the Greek on there say?"

Oh. I forgot about that. I can't say that it means 'Down With the Capitol'.

"Um…it means…'Haymitch and Artemis Forever'."

I almost laugh out loud at the thought of Artemis writing something so ridiculous and tacky on my token. Maysilee raises an eyebrow, and I can tell she knows I'm lying, but she doesn't say anything.

The cannon booms suddenly, making me jump.

"Better be Topaz," Maysilee mutters.

"Or it could be Meg," I add. Anger starts to flare up inside me.

"How could she be so low? She killed her own boyfriend!" I yell.

"He asked her to," Maysilee reminds me.

"SO WHAT? If Artemis had asked me to kill her, I would've refused! And I know she would've done the same if it were her and I!" I pick up a rock and chuck it into the sea, watching it make a small splash and sink into the water.

"Well, maybe it was because he didn't want it to come down to the two of them," reasons Maysilee, obviously trying to calm me down.

"Well why didn't he just kill himself, then? Meg should've refused! How could she be so weak?"

Maysilee stands and faces me, putting one hand on each of my shoulders. "Haymitch, you need to listen to me. You can't blame Meg for killing him. He said it was for the greater good. You also can't change what already happened."

"But it's not fair!" I can't think of a better argument, so I just sit back down and sigh. "Let's get some fish,"

Maysilee smiles. "That's the spirit."

I drop my pack, diving off the rocks and into the smooth sea, the cool water tickling my bare chest. Maysilee soon follows me, creating a much smaller splash than I did. "So how do we find fish?" asks Maysilee.

I shrug and leap onto the rocks, grabbing my axe and Maysilee's knives. I toss two knives to her, and she catches them deftly. We spend an hour spearing colorful fish in the shallow water, then heading back to the beach to cook them.

After eating the fish and packing up the leftovers, I come up with a crazy idea.

"Let's build a boat."

"What?" Maysilee stares at me like I'm retarded. Honestly, I don't blame her.

"We could build a boat and row to the edge of the arena."

"Why the heck would you want to do that?"

I shrug. "I don't know."

Maysilee laughs. "Okay, well, that was stupid. There's a force field up there, probably. What use would that be?"

I don't respond right away, because I have no idea. "It's just…I have a feeling we should go there."

Maysilee shakes her head, her white-blonde hair spraying water on me. "The Gamemakers would never allow that. Besides, how would we possibly build a boat? Haymitch, we're not from District Four. We don't know anything about the ocean, let alone boats! "

"Then we could go through the woods. Till we get to the end of the arena."

Maysilee and I spend about an hour arguing about this. The trouble is, we're both stubborn as mules. Finally, Maysilee sighs. "Ugh, okay, okay. I guess it wouldn't be any harm. Let's go."

We pack up our stuff and start to walk south of the meadow, across the grass and through the trees, the sun beating down on my back. We discover grassy hills that gently slope up and down the landscape. Maysilee constantly asks why we're going to the edge of the arena, but I just don't answer. I can tell she is getting more and more fed up. After two more hours, Maysilee can't take it anymore.

"WHY. ARE. WE. GOING. TO. THE. EDGE." she moans, slowly and drawn out as if I can't comprehend the words. "I am not going any further without an answer."

I sigh, because I can't give her a legitimate answer. "Honestly, I don't know. Maybe there's something we can use there." Maysilee rolls her eyes. "Fine. But I'm getting three quarters of our left-over fish." Oh, well. I guess it can't hurt.

We trek further into the woods, my stomach growling more and more every second. The plump fruit dangling from the trees only tantalizes me more. At one point, I reach for one, but Maysilee slaps me so hard that I can't feel my face. "You idiot! Do you not remember what happened to Taylor? You are _not _going to die on me, not now!" Her wise words, although hurtful, snap me back to my senses.

Five minutes later, I give a triumphant shout. We've reached the very end of the arena. A giant cliff breaks off into an abyss, so deep that I can't see the bottom.

"Ha!" exclaims Maysilee. "I guess that really is all there is, Haymitch. Let's go back." She starts to turn around.

"No, I'm staying here." I say firmly, hoping she'll stay with me.

Maysilee pauses for a moment. "Listen, we're down to the final three. I really don't want it to come down to the two of us. How awkward would that be?"

Oh no. That was the very statement I was dreading. "So you're leaving?"

Maysilee nods. "Yeah. Topaz is alive and on the move. If she finds us together and somehow kills both of us…all this anti-Career stuff would be for nothing. I think…I think it's time…I think it's time for us to say goodbye."

My throat starts to clog up. I guess she's right in a way. It wouldn't be good if Topaz found us and killed us. It would be even worse if we were the final two, forced to kill each other.

"Okay." is all I can get out.

Maysilee looks as though she's about to say something important, but changes her mind. "Well…bye, then."

She walks away, away from me, into the endless woods. I watch the girl with the Mockingjay disappear for the last time, then I turn and sit on the edge of the cliff.

The top three. I am actually in the top three. I might win…

_Oh shut up, Haymitch_, I think. _If you win, Maysilee dies. If Maysilee wins, you die. It's all just a lose-lose situation._

I throw a pebble over the cliff, watching it fall, becoming smaller and smaller. The pebble is like my friends; they fell into darkness, into death, and they can never come back. If I become a Victor, they'll always haunt me, though. They'll come right back up and -

"Oof!" I feel something hit my forehead. At first I'm completely convinced that it's my dead friends coming back to haunt me, but the object falls into my hand. A pebble.

Wait…is this the pebble that I just threw down into the cliff?

I throw a bigger rock into the abyss, and sure enough, after a minute it comes back up, hurtling toward my forehead. I catch it and toss it hand to hand.

So it's a force field. Whatever I throw down there comes right back up…interesting.

"EEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKK!" Great. Another bloodcurdling scream. Honestly, haven't I heard enough of those already?

_It's Maysilee, _I realize.

_She's not your ally anymore, Haymitch. If she dies it's not your problem._

"SCREW THAT!" I scream at my own thought. Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm on my feet and dashing through the woods. "MAYSILEE!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

Then I see it. A big group of giant pink birds, huddling around an object. I push through the stupid birds, trying to convince myself that it isn't her. I slash like crazy and they all fly away wildly. But as the last bird flies away, it happens. She tries to bat it away, and I reach for it with my axe. I'm too late.

The bird skewers her heart with its beak.

My heart drops as she falls to the ground, the wound in her chest spilling out blood, marring her almost non-existent tank top.

I kneel down beside her, running my fingers through her blood-stained hair, clasping her ice-cold hand. "Please don't leave me, don't go, you can make it, just breathe deep and-" "Haymitch."

Her bright blue eyes stare at me with the most intensity they ever have, yet they start to fade with every second. "Haymitch, you are amazing. You're gonna win, I swear."

Tears pour down my face, dripping onto her mangled body. "Don't leave me…" I whisper.

A trace of a smile crosses her lips. "It's okay. I'm going away now, to a place where I can be happy. Haymitch…sing me a song."

I nod, and clear my throat quietly. I lift her up gently and rest her body in my arms, rocking her slightly as if I were carrying a baby.

"_Far beyond the mountain_

_Across the glassy sea_

_A place where the Mockingjays flutter_

_A place for you and me"_

Maysilee's eyes flutter closed, and my tears are raining down on her like the violent storms back home.

"_Beyond the mountain, a place where we are free_

_A cottage of pure white stone_

_A thousand rabbits hop around with glee_

_This is the place of nature's throne_

_Far beyond the mountain_

_Across the glassy sea"_

The last lines are barely audible as her shallow breathing slows and comes in shaky bursts.

"_A place where the Mockingjays flutter_

_A place for you and me."_

The cannon booms.

Maysilee Donner, the girl with the Mockingjay, is dead.

I plant a kiss on her forehead, and lay her body on the ground.

I am not sad; I am on fire. The fire courses through my veins, making me shudder rapidly. The fire reaches my heart, sets everything around me ablaze. Red blurs my vision, and I bolt up from the ground.

"TOPAZ!" I scream, the loudest I have ever screamed. "TOPAZ, I WILL KILL YOU! COME OUT AND FIGHT, YOU COWARD!"

I'm vaguely aware that Topaz didn't do this, yet I blame her for it. She's the one who gave us hell; she is responsible. I am determined to avenge the pure, courageous, daring girl that was Maysilee Donner.

"Ah, look who it is. Two of the pathetic coal miners."

The serpent slinks toward me, amber eyes glowing, golden hair swishing around in the wind.

As she comes closer, a jubilant expression replaces her smirk.

"Oops. I stand corrected. _One _of pathetic coal miners and his sleazy girlfriend's corpse. You must be so sad," she wears a mock-sympathetic face.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about Maysilee like that," I growl.

"Aw, so sorry to offend you, Sexy. You're just probably a bit cranky because I let the birds out on your girlfriend."

I start to speak, but the serpent cuts me off.

"Yeah, that's right. I lured the birds in so they would catch her. Yes, I killed Maysilee Donner."

I knew it. I knew it all along.

"YOU WILL DIE! I'M GOING TO DO TO YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"

The serpent smirks. "Do what? Kill me?" She leans forward, pressing herself against my chest. "Or get a little…up close and personal?"

I roughly shove her away, knowing exactly what she's implying.

"Get AWAY from me!" I yell.

The serpent laughs, cackling loudly. "Well, perhaps we may as well begin this…"

She hisses on the s, all the more proving that she is a snake.

She steps backwards a few yards, pulling out her axe. I do the same. She winks at me. I scowl, shaking with adrenaline.

_It's time._

The fire inside me consumes me, and I race toward her, raising my axe, while the serpent slithers toward me, ready to strike.

Let the battle begin.


	21. The Serpent,the Weapon,and the Gamemaker

**Chapter 22: The Serpent, the Weapon, and the Assistant Gamemaker**

**A/N: It appears that some of you have been wondering about the whole 'blame it on Meg Martini' and all that jazz. You will find out what that means later this chapter!**

**Also, now that Haymitch's life is taking a drastic, derpressing turn, the chapter titles will not be funny anymore. Sorry!**

**THIS IS IT! THE FINAL SHOWDOWN BATTLE THINGIE! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,**

**LET THE FINAL BATTLE BEGIN!**

Closer and closer, the serpent slithers toward me, brandishing her axe. I do the same thing, the fire coursing through me.

I leap forward and swing the axe with all my might. She blocks it, twists it back around in my hand, then swipes at me.

The blade grazes my forehead, tearing open the skin. Hot blood runs into my eye, blurring my vision. I raise the axe again, but she parries it, then hits my stomach.

The pain is numb at first, cold and metallic. I look down, and blood pours out, stinging more and more every second. I bend over and cough up red sticky spray. The serpent rolls over on top of my back and lands, grinning. I lift my arm, though it feels like iron metal, and swipe at her face.

The wound where I gouged out her eye during the Bloodbath opens up again, and she stomps the ground in frustration. Now both equally injured, we slash clumsily at each other, like kittens fighting over a ball of yarn. My wound stings from before, and Topaz targets the same area whenever she strikes, making it easy to dodge. I focus on her face, mainly, because her eye is already gone.

She finds my stomach again, though, before I can block it. I can feel the blade sink in until she pulls it back out. The colors around me start to fade, and my head becomes light and dizzy.

_You can't give up, Haymitch. Win it for Artemis. For Maysilee. For Taylor and Sage and Meg and Peter and Mary._

I dash back into the woods, that being the only idea I can think of. The pain in my wound grows more prominent. I force myself to keep going, to get away from her, so she'll throw her axe and miss me so that I can grab it and disarm her. My plan doesn't work though, because she still keeps a firm grip on her weapon. I circle back into the meadow, clutching my stomach, trying to hold in my intestines. We finally reach the cliff where I said goodbye to Maysilee, and I know I'm trapped.

As I rear back my axe to strike again, everything starts to freeze.

Esmerelda appears beside me, wearing a long flowing black dress. Her eyes are that creepy amber shade again. Then, one by one, all of the dead tributes appear, donning black robes. Cedar with a cello, Taylor smacking on a plum, Maysilee holding and stroking a white bird in her arms, Peter carrying an arrow, Meg petting a golden squirrel, Sparkes with a picture of me, Mary with an axe, Kelly with a knife, and so on. I realize that they each hold an item that represents how they died. They seem translucent, almost; I can just barely see through them.

"But…you're dead! Why are you here?" I shout.

Esmerelda steps forward.

"Haymitch, remember my prophecy. It is a matter between life and death."

Meg walks up to me next, beckoning forward her squirrel. "And when the time comes, blame it all on me. I don't have any living loved ones; the Capitol can't harm me." I resist the urge to slap her in the face, remembering her awful deed of killing Peter.

"But what? What do I blame on you? I don't get it!" I protest. She just shakes her head.

Maysilee tries to pat my shoulder, but her translucent hand goes through it, sending a chill down my spine. "You'll do great. You just have to remember us."

"Wait, I don't understand! Why –"

I drop my axe and try to reach for it, but Topaz kicks it away, out of my reach. Oh crap. Now I'm screwed…

My fight with Topaz starts to resume, but every move she makes occurs in very slow motion, yet so do mine. I can hear Esmerelda's voice behind me.

"As the sun completes its mourning,"

I glance at the orange sun, setting slowly down the horizon.

"That is when you earn your warning."

Wait…warning?

"An ally will be lost,"

Maysilee…

"A tool will be found. A tool that makes the stone come around."

The stone comes around…the force field!

Topaz starts to back up slowly, her chest heaving.

"When death comes spinning eagerly toward you,"

Topaz raises the arm carrying the axe.

"Welcome it like so many before you."

Death….spinning eagerly toward me?

_The axe._

"But if you dodge you pay the price,"

Topaz brings her arm forward.

"DECADES OF SORROW NO COMFORT SHALL SUFFICE!"

She releases the axe.

It spins slowly in the air, waiting to make its home in my chest. I remember the force field behind me, and that's when I get an idea. If a stone can be deflected and hit me in the forehead, I could probably do the same thing with my axe, Topaz being the target instead. I dodge it clumsily, and it sails over the edge of the cliff. I turn back to Topaz. We stand there for a minute, gazing at each other with despair, both unarmed. She clutches her forehead, smeared with blood. My stomach stings awfully, and I press it in, trying not to lose all of my blood, trying not to black out.

A whirring noise begins in my ear, and I know my plan is coming in

She smirks, not seeing the projectile. She throws back her head and laughs. But as it sails toward her, her grin fades to surprise, then her eyes widen in terror. "NO!"

The axe hits her chest, knocking her to the ground. I stand over her and watch with horror as she shakes and splutters, blood pouring from her heart. "In the end..." she whispers, her amber eye fading. "You'll lose everything." Topaz goes still.

The cannon booms.

"Great," I grumble to myself. "Now I have one more tribute to go hunt down."

But wait…could it be that –

"I am very pleased to present the Victor of the Fiftieth Annual Hunger Games! Ladies and Gentlemen, District Twelve's Haymitch Abernathy!"

The deafening screams of the Capitol boom through the arena.

I did it. I won. I just won the Hunger Games.

I don't know why or how, but I sink to my knees and start to sob. The awful choking sounds pour out of my mouth as tears leak through my puffy eyes. I sob for Sage, for Taylor, for Mary, for Peter, for Maysilee, for all the helpless children that died, while I get to live.

I remember Esmerelda's prophecy, and the puzzle pieces click together. I've dodged death, and now I pay the price. The punishment of life, knowing that I killed so many.

I stumble over to Maysilee's emaciated body, not yet picked up by the hovercraft. I sob more violently. "Maysilee, wake up, _wake up_, Maysilee, I just won the Hunger Games. We can go back to District Twelve and you get to see Mike and I get to see Artemis and – "

Oh. That's right. Maysilee is dead. And she is never coming back.

I let out the most heartbreaking scream ever heard, and double over.

The last thing I hear before blacking out is the whir of a plane, and Maysilee's voice telling me that it will be okay, that I'm safe and sound.

The first thing I register when I open my eyes is pain. It's as if someone has been pounding on my skull from the inside of my head with a double axe for two hours straight.

I gaze groggily at my surroundings. I'm in a plain, white hospital room that smells of disinfectant. All sorts of strange little tubes and devices stick out of my arm. I'm completely naked; when I glance down at my stomach, I see that the wound in my stomach is gone, leaving only a small white mark. I try to sit up and stretch my sore muscles, but something restrains me. Black cloth bands confine my stomach and arms and legs to the bed. I attempt to bite off the one on my stomach, but it remains firmly still.

"So it's you and your teeth against the Capitol? See, this is why no one lets you make the plans." I hear a voice from beside me chuckle.

I look to my right, and there's Artemis, lying down beside me, beaming.

"A-Artemis?" I gasp, a grin spreading across my face. "How…why…why are you…" I can't seem to put my words together correctly.

"For some reason, this year when they got to the final eight, they pulled the remaining tributes' families to the Capitol to do special interviews. They took me and Johnny. I made sure to be as sappy as possible to get you sponsors. You were knocked out for like two days. Every night I slept here, because your mattress is really comfy. Oh yeah, and because I love you."

I laugh and pull her down for a long kiss. I missed her warmth, the taste of smoke and apples on her lips.

When she pulls away, I ask her, "Why do you always taste like smoke and apples?"

This random statement gets her to laugh. "Because I like apples and I'm really hot. So, I guess you did it. You won. Remember a long time ago, we agreed that if any of us won the Hunger Games, we have to do whatever the Victor wants? Well, you won. So what do you want?"

"A big bowl of chocolate ice cream."

Artemis laughs. "I knew it. Okay, I'll see to that." She begins to walk out the door.

"Wait!" I call. She turns around. "I also want another kiss." She rolls her eyes. "Whatever, Hay-Witch."

She leans down again, smashing her lips against mine. I savor her, thinking about everything that I missed about her. Her smile, her laugh, her snarky jokes, her sparkling silver eyes.

"Okay. I'll go get you your ice cream."

"WAIT!" I call again. "What?" Artemis says exasperatedly.

"Can you cover me with a blanket? I'm not wearing anything and it makes me uncomfortable."

Artemis giggles and throws a sheet over me.

"Thanks. Can I have my ice cream now?"

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

I lie there, eating my bowl of ice cream, talking to Artemis. When the arena comes up, I quickly change the subject. Just thinking about it makes me queasy.

Suddenly, a young, round-bellied man wearing dark purple robes bursts through the door. "Well, hello there, Haymitch Abernathy!" He yells in an obnoxiously friendly voice.

"Um…hi," I reply awkwardly.

"Congratulations on your victory! That was quite an exciting Games; the Capitol is in a tizzy! I must say that when you said goodbye to your girlfriend Maysilee, it was simply heart-wrenching!"

"She wasn't my girlfriend!" I retort. "My girlfriend is right here." I gesture toward Artemis, who scowls threateningly.

The man notices Artemis apparently for the first time. He strolls over and runs his fingers through her dark hair. "Ah, what a lovely young lady! Almost as beautiful as Maysilee herself!"

Artemis swats his clammy pink hand away. "Touch me again and I'll tear your throat out," she growls. I glare at him. The man chuckles. "As pleasant as your boyfriend!"

"Who are you?" I ask. This man is really pissing me off.

"Me? I am Assistant Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee."

I stifle a snicker. What idiot names their child 'Plutarch?'

"And what do you want?" I ask.

"Well… I will need you to come to my office quicky fast. Just to discuss…some matters."

I roll my eyes. "Fine. But can I have some clothes first?"

Plutarch smiles. "I'll look into that."

Ten minutes later, I'm garbed in soft, silky clothes and following this creepy Plutarch guy down a long hallway. He doesn't look that much older than me – maybe in his early twenties. However old he is, I certainly don't like him very much. I don't know what it is about Capitolites, but they just make me feel queasy with their revolting outfits and annoying accents.

Plutarch leads me up an elevator, down a hallway, through a trap door, up two flights of stairs, and another trap door. I'm starting to get suspicious, when he slams the door and locks it with a giant key. When I spot a bed, my mental warning system immediately starts to go off. "No thanks," I say, walking back to the door. Plutarch grabs my arm. "Just sit down."

I plop down reluctantly on a purple plush couch, and he sits on a chair across from me. His jolly expression is replaced by a grave one.

"So, Haymitch, let me introduce myself for real. I'm Plutarch Heavensbee, and I am a spy for the rebels."

Wait…what? Rebels?

"What do you mean?" I ask. Surely it couldn't mean…

"We'll get to that later. So I know that you were friends with Esmerelda Traitum, the girl from District Nine."

I nod my head.

"And she told you a few…prophecies."

I nod again, starting to feel uneasy.

The next information that comes out of Plutarch's mouth is the most shocking news I have ever heard.

There is a secret collaboration going on among a few Gamemakers, Victors, some people in the Districts, and a few of this year's tributes. Those tributes were Peter, Meg, Maysilee, Esmerelda, and Ivy. The five of them were purposely reaped because their parents were suspected of being rebels. In short, me discovering the force field and using it as a weapon was planned by the rebels all along. Maysilee was supposed to make sure I discovered the force field on the rooftop of the training center, but that wasn't necessary, since I found it already. Plutarch and the others believed that I was incredibly resourceful and would use the force field as a weapon, so at the last minute he convinced Seneca Crane to install a force field by the cliff. Maysilee was supposed to agree to follow me to the force field, and if I hadn't brought it up, she would've mentioned it. Their goal in me using the force field as a tool to defeat Topaz was to make a fool out of the Capitol so that hopefully an uprising would be inspired. Plutarch says that during my victory interview Caesar Flickerman is supposed to ask me what my inspiration was for using the force field to see if I blatantly tried to disgrace the Capitol. I need to say that Meg Martini convinced me to do it.

"But why blame it on Meg?" I ask.

"Because all the other tributes have family members or friends. Meg's family and best friends were executed right before the Reaping because the Capitol discovered they were planning an uprising in District 10. If you blame it on any other of the rebel tributes, the Capitol would execute their loved ones. But since Meg's loved ones are dead, the Capitol can't punish them. That's why you have to blame it on her. If you were wondering, that is what Esmerelda was hinting you about in the arena."

"But…why me? Why was I chosen to use the force field to fool the Capitol? The other four could have done it."

"Since the Capitol knows that their parents might be rebels, they would have figured out our plan and made sure to give them hell in the arena. But since you have no rebel track record, you were safe."

"You could have used any other tribute!" I protest.

"Any other tribute might rat on us to the officials. But I knew I could trust you from the beginning." All right, this is starting to creep me out.

"How?"

"Remember how the Gamemakers took up the tokens for awhile before the Games to inspect them? I happened to have been assigned the pile of tokens that contained yours. I am the only Gamemaker that knows Greek, Haymitch. I knew that the bracelet read 'Down With the Capitol'. That insinuated that you had beliefs against the Capitol. Maysilee also said you could be trusted."

"So…I was meant to win all along?" I wonder out loud.

"Yes. For the rebellion."

The rebellion…

"But why did Meg kill Peter?"

"She was supposed to kill him because Peter is an excellent fighter. He got an eleven in training. The Capitol would get suspicious if he didn't make it to the final two. So they staged it as Peter sacrificing his life for Meg to keep the Capitol distracted."

So she's not a monster after all…it really was for the greater good.

"And why didn't they tell me about this before the Games? I would've joined without hesitation!"

I never would have guessed they were hiding something. I sensed something fishy, but I never even fathomed it would be about overthrowing the Capitol…

"The Capitol has surveillance cameras everywhere, even on the roof. They couldn't have told you about the rebellion without getting picked up by the cameras." Plutarch answers patiently.

"So…my friends…they sacrificed their lives for me to be the Victor?"

Plutarch nods.

"Yes. Because right now, you, Haymitch Abernathy, are the face of the rebellion."


	22. Blame It All on Meg

**Chapter 23: Just Blame It All on Meg**

**A/N: 'Ello there! Thanks for the great reception of Chapter 22. I hope you like this one. So sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, I was busy at watercolor camp :D**

**Enjoy, and remember, the fiftieth reviewer gets to name a character in my other story: **_**Tail of a Fox: The Story of the Fox-Faced Girl**_

**Happy reading!**

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_I'm in the middle of the woods in the arena, the moonlight illuminating my emaciated face. Owls hoot discreetly, every now and then a howl breaking through the night sounds. I'm wearing my arena clothes, but my shirt is gone, my pants tattered, my hair matted. Blood runs all over me, painting me red. I roam the lonely forest, desperately calling for my allies. Suddenly, all of the dead tributes fade in front of my as they did before I won the Games, but this time they glare spitefully at me. I try to run, but my body is frozen, completely stationary._

_Maysilee steps forward, her bright blue eyes piercing through my soul. "You idiot," she hisses, her high, melodic voice echoing through the trees. She slaps me across the face. "You left me to the birds. You left me to die. It was your fault, all your fault. We had to die so you could live. So, Topaz, shall you do the honors?"_

_The serpent slinks out from the shadows, and if I wasn't already frozen, I know I would be paralyzed with fear. She stalks up next to me until she tackles me and pins me to the ground, as if I could possibly escape. She lies on top of me, her lips close to my ear, tracing her finger down my chest. "Mmm…what fun we could have with you if you weren't about to die…"_

_She raises the axe in her hand, still pressing her ruby lips to my ear. "There will be no hiding near a force field this time, Pretty Boy._

_The axe falls from her hand toward my heart, falling, falling, falling…_

I jolt up and scream, panting and heaving, my thin shirt and bare legs soaked in sweat. The door opens a crack, dim light flooding the room. A shadow appears. I try to reach for my axe, thinking it's Topaz, only to realize I'm not in the Hunger Games anymore. And it's not Topaz; it's Artemis who steps in the room, her velvet tread making no noise at all.

Artemis closes the door quietly and pads barefoot to my bed. She climbs in next to me, her warm skin brushing against me. She doesn't say anything, just leans in, kissing me. She pulls away, and I stroke her hair, brushing a stray black strand out of her moonlit face as her dangerous silver eyes soften and glow. She hugs me, burying her face in my shoulder. The entrails of sleep consume me; within seconds I slip into pleasant dreams of laughing with all my friends, running around in a meadow of wildflowers.

*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X*)X

I am finally allowed to move out of the white hospital room and into my old room in the Training Center, the black and red one. The colors remind me too much of my friends, though, so I discover a button and change the bedroom so it looks like the ocean. I remember with a pang talking with my friends on the beach in the arena, the sight of Meg and Peter carrying Mary's limp body in their arms, my last day with Maysilee. I quickly press the button again, and the room shifts colors to make it look like I'm floating on clouds. That's good; I never floated on any clouds during the Hunger Games, so that probably won't induce any horrible nightmares.

Suddenly, three very squeaky people burst through the door. I laugh as my prep team shrieks and giggles at the sight of me. "HAYMITCH!" squeals Manilda. She runs to me and gives me a big, rib-crunching hug. Flannigus does so too, his embrace even more forceful. Effie, the intern, stands happy but resigned. "Congratulations, Haymitch. I had a good feeling about you from the start," she comments quietly. I admire her quietness. It's not that she's shy, it's just that she isn't loud and obnoxious like two certain other members of my prep team.

I exchange courtesies with the prep team, then try to tolerate them fussing over how messy my hair and nails are, as if I had the chance to worry about my looks in the arena of death. After that, they sit me down in a swivel chair and get right down to business.

I listen to them discussing my Games in squeaky voices that pinch my eardrums with every migrane-inducing syllable as they perfect my body. I would've expected them to praise my feats or victories or even my killings, but they don't really talk about me. It's all about how they felt or what they were doing when a specific event happened. Even watching innocent children die bloody, horrible deaths can't tear them away from thinking about themselves. Yep. That's the Capitol for you.

After an hour, my skin is gleaming, my hair styled, my nails carved into perfect ovals. Tigris bursts in and I immediately run and hug her, her black and orange fur tickling my skin. "Hey, buddy. Nice to see you not dead." I pull back and smile at her, genuinely glad to see her feline face again. "Well, if you'll detach yourself from me, I might be able to give you your interview outfit!" I let go, and she holds up a black bag. "Why is it that every time you enter in with my costume, it always has to be in a black bag where I can't see it right away?" I ask. Tigris shrugs. "Dramatic effect, I guess," she says, hissing her s. "Now close your eyes."

I obey her and feel a shirt slide over me and I lift up my legs so she can pull on a pair of pants. I open my eyes.

My jet-black hair looks messy and windblown, just the way I like it. Black slacks cover my legs, and a dark red shirt drapes over my chest, unbuttoned halfway. It resembles my interview costume a bit, but it's sexier. It makes me look more like a man than just a naïve tribute. Yet another amazing work by Tigris Marrow, District 6's first and only Victor that is also a tiger and stylist.

"It's good to have a tiger style my clothes again," I say. She grins, emitting a strange purring noise. "Well it's good to have a Hay-witch to style clothes for again," Tigris retorts good-naturedly, mimicking my tone. "It's time to meet Callie and Kolonpi again," she says.

Excitement fills me to the brim. Perhaps Callie will treat me a bit better now that I just became District 12's second Victor. I'm even anticipant to see Kolonpi, our crazy bipolar octopus-escort.

I stroll out the door and am met with the beaming faces of my mentor and escort. Callie is about to embrace me when Kolonpi shoves her away and bestows upon me a hearty bear hug. "Hey, Kolonpi," I say, grinning. "Congratulations!" Kolonpi squeals. "I want your autograph, I'm going to grab a pen!" She dashes into another room, leaving Callie and me alone. Callie shakes her head. "I always knew you could do it, I just never thought you actually would." I throw myself into her arms.

"Thanks for the Jello, Mom," I say. "I think that really contributed to my victory." This earns a laugh from her, either because of the Jello or because I just called her Mom for the first time.

Kolonpi rushes back in, wielding a pink sparkly pen. She forces me to sign her purse, boot, arm, locket, even her forehead. "Well, come, come," she says jubilantly after I finish signing more than half of her possessions. "It's time for your interview!"

I ride the elevator with her, Callie, my prep team, and Tigris. I half expect Maysilee to make a sarcastic comment, or the tributes from 11 to burst in and crack some jokes, or Esmerelda to float in and tell me a prophecy, or the friendly kids from 5 to enter and laugh and smile with us, or even the snobs from 1 to bang on the doors, still screaming "Let us out, you idiots!" from when we blocked the elevator off from them during training. But they can't. Because they're dead. All dead…

The opening of the polished metal doors interrupts my reverie. I'm led through the place where we loaded the chariots for the Opening Ceremonies, where we teased Peter about his obsession with fashion so long ago, and into a dark room, the only illumination being a few dim lights. Technical crews and workers bustle around, and I hear the unmistakable sound of a massive crowd above me. I realize that this room is under the stage. Kolonpi, now rushed and overwhelmed, instructs me where to go when I rise up on to the stage. It turns out that I stand on a metal plate that shoots up to the stage above.

Plutarch bursts through the crowd, slightly disheveled. "Haymitch!" He exclaims in his fake jolly voice. "A few instructions before the interview!" He pulls me aside and whispers quickly and discreetly in my ear.

"Remember what I said. Caesar will ask you about where you got the inspiration for the trick with the force field. Say that before the Games, Meg suggested that you use the force field. Pretend that you unwittingly agreed. Make a few jokes at your expense about how non-intelligent you are. But don't worry – you are intelligent. You own this crowd. Persuade them that you didn't mean to offend the capitol. In fact, act like you didn't even realize that you made them the joke of Panem. Good luck out there. Now go, Kolonpi is making rude gestures at you."

I nod and turn around, jogging to Kolonpi who threatens to strangle me if I don't get on the metal plate this second. I obey, as if I were scared of my escort's empty threats. My stylist, prep team, mentor, and escort also stand onto their own metal plates.

The prep team's plates start to shoot up, and I hear loud cheers echoing through the cracks in the ceiling. Next, Tigris goes up, waving to me and winking. A five-minute round of hooting is dedicated to her, then Kolonpi goes up, earning even more cheering. By the time Callie's plate is rising, the crowd is obscenely pumped up.

I feel a jerk, and I realize my plate is slowly rising. I feel faint, maybe because I imagine rising through the tube and entering the arena before the Bloodbath…

Neon lights blind my eyes, forcing me to squint. Every seat in the amphitheatre is packed, and the people of the Capitol are going hysterical. I give a tiny bow and wink, not nervous at all, while I stride over to a man with salt-and-pepper colored hair, a white rose tucked into his lapel. President Snow's emerald eyes stare into my grey ones, so intensely that I have to avert his gaze. He carries a shiny golden crown encrusted with rubies on a red velvet pillow, which he places slowly on my head. Every single Capitolite screams their heart out for at least ten minutes, even while I am sitting in the golden victory throne, sat on by 49 other unfortunate people like me.

The anthem is played so loudly that my eardrums vibrate until the hyperactive crowd finally shuts their squeaking mouths.

Caesar opens his mouth, but before a sound comes out, I cut him off. "Hail to the Caesar," I say, repeating the first line of my interview before the Games. The crowd laughs for about a minute, then lulls. Caesar chuckles. "Ah, Haymitch. The boy with the snarky comments. Congratulations on your victory!"

My signature smirk forms on my jaw. "Well thanks, Caesar. It's nice to be up here again, interrupting you and annoying everyone's heads off." The crowd screams in protest, and I pick out things like "You aren't annoying, you're sexy!" and "I could have you annoy me all day!".

Me and Caesar exchange a few jokes and puns about Caesars, bad manners, and annoyingness.

"So how does it feel? To be sitting there on that Victor's throne?"

"Well, to be honest with you, the seat is a bit worn, but it cushions my butt nicely."

The Capitol screams again, and one crazy fangirl shouts, "Your butt deserves it!"

Caesar laughs at me taking his question literally. "We've noticed that you've become a bit famous for what you did in the arena."

"Yeah, I think that's what happens when you become a Victor. You get a little bit famous sometimes."

The crowd laughs at my sarcastic comment.

Caesar grins. "Haymitch, we all know I'm talking about the force field. The clever way you used it to end Topaz in the final battle. What was your inspiration for such a cunning idea?"

This is it. This is the moment of truth that decides whether Snow punishes my family or not. I choose my words carefully.

"Oh, now Caesar, don't give me all the credit. The reward goes to Meg Martini for that splendid idea. We were hanging out on the roof, and I dropped a flowerpot off the building by accident. Then it came back up all of a sudden, the Meg said that maybe we could use that trick in the arena."

"It sure seemed like you came up with the trick, though. Something's telling me that you're just being humble. Do you agree, Capitol citizens?"

He gestures toward the crowd, who screams in approval.

I laugh. "But you know what they say. Beauty and brains can never come in the same package. Well, unless you're someone like Caesar Flickerman."

Everyone cheers at my witty compliment toward Caesar. We spend the rest of the interview talking about my family and Artemis and pointless banter. Then the time comes for the recap of the Games to play. I brace myself, keeping a smirk plastered on my face, and turn toward the big screen.

At first, it's alright. They play the opening ceremonies, training scores, interviews, and all that jazz. But that's when the Bloodbath starts. The beginning of the Bloodbath in which we are raised up on tubes is from a girl's POV. I recognize a blue tank top, some strands of blonde hair. Maysilee. How cruel.

They recap the Bloodbath, focusing on every single gory death, especially me killing Ares and Rachel. I watch Kelly slide down the Cornucopia lifeless, Wireson take a trident to the chest, Topaz cornering me. I can almost smell the sickeningly sweet scent of the wildflowers in that meadow. The worst thing is that a maniacally upbeat soundtrack is playing the entire time.

Then they skip ahead to Crackle's death. In the arena, she obviously felt genuine despair about Wireson's death, but in the recap they make it a lot sappier than it is by playing a romantic soundtrack and showing the reactions of District 5 in the square. I avert my eyes, still keeping that pretend smirk on my face.

That's when it gets really bad. They document Taylor's death, then us climbing up the mountain. Ivy's death, us teaming up with 8, 9, and 10, other kids eating poisonous fruit, me conquering the Careers, then Sage's unintended death by cello.

The Capitol is so cruel that they start to play a cello soundtrack while she dies.

Then it shows the volcanic eruption, in which I relive the deaths of Donner and Logan. It plays me thrashing around after the explosion, but I close my eyes when I know that Esmerelda is sacrificing her life for me. I open them when the cannon booms, and I watch my remaining allies tying up Diamond. They make camp, then they show our day on the beach, Mary's gruesome death, the incident with Peter and Meg. It turns out that Meg was killed by the golden squirrels. I resist the temptation to cover my ears when Maysilee's death is shown. I threaten to black out when my fight with Topaz occurs. The recap ends with me screaming, and some Capitol workers sedating me while I scream for Artemis.

The recap is met with so much applause that my eardrums seem to explode. Caesar shakes my hand warmly, then Snow turns to me and holds out his hand. I grasp it and shake it, and his emerald eyes pour into mine again. I've always been good at reading people's expressions, and I can decipher one thing in his face, one thing that he's trying to silently communicate to me.

_You disgraced the Capitol. Now it's our turn to disgrace you._

( ) () )( ( ( )( () () )( () )( ( ) ( () ) ( ( ( ) ( )) ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( () ( ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (( ( (


	23. We Bother Various Government Officials

**Chapter 25: We Bother Various Government Officials**

**A/N: 'Ello there, I am back! Thanks for favoriting and reviewing! I hate to admit it, but this story is beginning to come to a close :'( Maybe 5-10 more chapters. But guess what? That means I will continue on **_**Tail of a Fox**_** and I will also be writing some various oneshots! Enjoy Chapter 25, and check out the poll on my profile!**

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A few hours after my interview, my crew drags me outside and starts gushing over me. "You were simply dashing!" exclaims Manilda, her pearls bouncing around her pasty-white neck. "The Capitol is obsessed with you!" Flannigus shouts. "Good job, Haymitch," Effie says quietly, albeit a small smile crossing her lightly touched-up face. Then I am literally shoved into a strange black vehicle by some unknown force.

After about ten minutes, I am pushed back out of the car and into a halo of neon lights. My crew escorts me into a mansion, and Artemis runs up to my side. "You look beautiful…" I whisper in awe. She wears a floor-length red strapless dress made of sheer, shimmering material.

"Always the tone of surprise," she retorts, still smiling. The doors are opened, and I enter my victory party. The rest of my crew just keeps walking, but Artemis and I just stand there, gaping in shock.

Now, in District 12, we know how to party. Sure, sometimes the only snack is a small slab of stale bread, or the only music is from a lone fiddler or something, but we still have the enthusiasm. But this Capitol stuff is way different.

A glistening crystal chandelier hangs from the black ceiling. Somehow, everything in the room must have turned into my favorite colors, which are red and black. Just like my room in the training center, everything is black with glowing red details. Musicians float on black clouds, and the scent of deliciousness floods the air.

I look around and notice endless tables of delicacies circling the ballroom of President Snow's mansion. Shellfish, cakes, soup, exotic fruits – it seems that every food you could ever imagine is on those tables.

I am suddenly snapped out of my reverie as people and cameras start to encompass me. I force on a smirk and simply stroll through the crowd, holding on to Artemis. She refuses to play nice for the cameras though, so she wears her signature scowl.

Reporters badger us with questions, and it seems that the whole crowd of high-class Capitolites has shifted toward our area. Eventually the crowd of reporters lets up, and we are free to roam the tables ourselves. Still, people run up to us asking me and sometimes Artemis to sign their purses, ties, scraps of paper, parts of their body. We find no shortage of company; instead, we can't seem to get rid of it.

That's when I get an idea. "Maybe if we kiss they'll leave us alone," I whisper in Artemis' ear. "In your dreams," she retorts, but she still pulls me out to the middle of the dance floor, swallowed up in the mingling crowd. I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her, trying to block out the cheers and wolf-whistles that shoot toward us. We remain intertwined for a few more minutes, then pull apart when we realize that we're only attracting more attention and much more cameras. The two of us duck through the masses of oddly-dressed freaks and make our way to the food tables.

We try to force a limit upon ourselves of one bite per dish, but it can't seem to restrain us. I discover a table with Jello in all the colors of the rainbow. Lamb chops that melt in your mouth. Giant plump tangerines, sour and tangy. By the time we arrive at the fourth table, I honestly can't hold in another bite.

Suddenly, a turquoise-garbed and slightly tipsy Effie jogs up to us. "Hey, guys," she says more excitedly than usual. "Have you tried the petit dijon pureèd filet mignons?" Effie rapidly gestures toward a table of specialty meat, where a large crowd is gathering. "Sorry, but if I eat one more bite I'm gonna throw up," I say. Effie laughs. "There's a solution for that, you know. Check out this table."

Effie points to a table of small glasses filled with a clear liquid. I have no clue how they'll help my stomach, but I go ahead and pick one up. I put it to my lips, but Effie shrieks and knocks it out of my hand, and it shatters onto the floor, attracting a few stares. "No, no, not now! Do it in the restrooms! Really Haymitch, do you actually want to vomit in the middle of a prestigious Capitol party?"

It takes me a minute to figure out what she means by that, but then it clicks. "So if I drink this, it'll make me puke?" Effie nods. "Yeah. So that you can eat more. Most people in the Capitol drink it. I don't do it; something about the idea just makes me feel gluttonous, you know?"

Artemis and I nod at the same time. This puking liquid is just another example of the Capitol's cruelty. Here we are in District 12, hard pressed to get a mere bite of food, while these Capitol jerks are vomiting just so that they can eat more and more? Effie's right. The idea is gluttonous, _very_ gluttonous.

I set the cup down gingerly, and I am about to make some jokes to Artemis and Effie, when I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I whirl around, instinct causing me to try to grab an axe that isn't there. Bright green serpent eyes stare into mine, and I begin to smell something that works my gag reflex. I try to convince myself that he just smells of roses, but I catch something else, too. Blood.

President Snow straightens up and clears his throat. "Hello, Haymitch. Congratulations on your victory." His voice is cold and hard, like a flint scraping against metal. A chill runs up my spine. "Thank you, sir," I answer tentatively. Something in his eyes tells me that he's up to something.

"I hope you have been enjoying my feast. I notice that you have taken a liking to the Jello, have you not?" Snow's statement sounds jovial and warm, but his voice and expression make it seem almost like a threat. "No, sir. I mean, yes….like, I love it…so, yes…um…"

Snow nods. "I presume that you do. Mr. Abernathy, would you kindly come with me to my office for a moment? There are some…matters that I must discuss with you."

Oh crap. This will be about the force field…

I brace myself and start to follow Snow, who has already begun walking. Artemis and Effie step forward, and Snow holds up his hand to halt them. "There will be no need to accompany us, Miss Falcon and Miss Trinket." The two of them reluctantly step back, giving me worried looks. I attempt at a reassuring smile, but I think it came out more like a grimace.

As I follow Snow through the crowd, none of the people leap forward for autographs or anything. They simply part, making a path for him and me. It reminds me of an old tale I once read, a tale about a dude named Moses who parted the sea into two halves…

Snow leads me up a large stair case, through a few elevators, down a long hallway, and then next to two large metal doors. He tells me to close my eyes while he punches in the code for security measures. I pretend to do so, but I leave them open a crack to see the code. P…A…N….E…M…E...T…C…I…R…C…E…N…C…E…S.

_Panem et Circenses._

I vaguely remember learning about that at school. It's an old expression in a language called Latin. I think that's what Panem was named for, but I'm not quite sure. It's not like I pay attention at school or anything.

I drill the code into my brain, thinking it may be useful sometime. Breaking into the President's office would be an all-time high of pranking…

The doors slide open silently, and Snow ushers me into a large, airy room. It has a spectacular view of the Capitol at night, of all the colors and flashing lights. Large, ornate chairs are spread across the lavish room. A giant desk lies in the middle, with office supplies and papers neatly sorted into drawers. A few other strange computers and phones and such lay across the desk. Snow plops down behind the desk in a swivel chair and beckons me to sit in a red plush chair across from him. I do so, bracing myself for what I am about to hear.

"Welcome to my office, Mr. Abernathy. Now, before we start, I think we should agree not to lie to each other, shall we?"

Well, then. Considering the fact that he's the President and he has the power to destroy my life if I don't agree, I hesitantly say, "Yes, sir."

Snow nods slowly. "Good, good. There is a rather important…issue, shall we say, that has come up in the Capitol concerning your stunt that contributed to your winning the Hunger Games. Do you know what I am implying, Mr. Abernathy?"

Yes. Yes, I know exactly what he's implying. He's going to punish me for what I did with the force field. I remind myself to play it cool and dumb.

"No, I actually don't, sir. For someone with as witless as myself, you may need to sound out each word for me."

Snow raises an eyebrow subtly, then suppresses a snort. A wave of relief crosses over me; I finally convinced him that I'm too stupid to have pulled the stunt for malicious reasons.

His emerald eyes suddenly pour into mine, scrutinizing me, apparently searching for the truth I am hiding.

"Very well then. Go run along back to your party."

Snow pauses and opens his mouth as if he's about to say something important, but just closes it and shakes his head.

"Goodbye, Mr. President."

Snow presses a button on his desk, and the metal doors slide open. Without another word, I stroll out of the room, suppressing the urge to cheer and pat myself on the back as the doors slide back closed.

I did it. Snow is officially convinced that I did the thing with the force field purely out of stupidity.

"Hey there."

I jump, and Artemis pops out from behind a plant.

"Whoa, where did you come from?"

Artemis smirks. "My mother's uterus."

I roll my eyes. "Ha-ha."

Artemis giggles. "Well I got really annoyed down there. Effie Trinket is actually pretty nice, but she had to go help design some clothes or something. Then I was just minding my own business, eating a leg of fried chicken, when this creepy middle aged man asked me how much he had to pay me to take me home and…well, you get the idea. So, of course, I punched him in the face and ripped out half of his hair. Some Peacekeepers came and escorted me out, and they said that I just beat up the Secretary of State. After a while, they let me back in, because they knew you wouldn't be happy."

"Well, I guess the Capitol just got something right for the first time," I kiss her for a minute, then pull away and walk through the elaborate corridor with her.

"So, how did you end up here?"

Artemis smirks again. "Snow's idea of moving quietly through a hallway is stomping around like a retarded hippopotamus. I just walked up the staircase, and then I could hear his heavy tread. Oh yeah, and I also set up a snare outside his office."

"You WHAT?" I gasp. Snow does _not_ need another excuse to arrest me!

"I set up a snare. I found some worms in some hanging plants, so I just hung a basket of them above the outside of his door. I placed a trigger wire on the floor from a storage closet so that when he trips over it, the worms will come flying down onto his empty little head."

Before I have time to react, I hear the doors slide open, and I immediately pull Artemis into a nearby closet and watch out the window. I hear a shout and a crash. I glance around the corner and find a disheveled President Snow dripping with worms, sprawled on the floor and rubbing his head.

"Artemis, what the hell was that?" I hiss. "This isn't playing pranks on Rex, he could turn us into Avoxes if we get caught!" I can barely keep a straight face though, because the sight of Snow covered in worms is just too funny.

"We won't get caught!" Artemis retorts.

"Wow, injuring two government officials in one day? That's an all-time high," chuckles a hushed voice coming from the trash can behind me. We whirl around, and the unmistakable figure of Plutarch Heavensbee peeks out from underneath the lid.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper in shock. Most Gamemakers don't spend their time in dumpsters near the President's office.

"Secret intelligence," he answers.

"For the rebellion?" asks Artemis.

Plutarch gives me an alarmed look.

"Don't worry, I told her in an abandoned alley right after the interview."

Plutarch lets out a long breath. "That's a relief. Come with me, and don't dump worms on any more government officials' heads!"

He kicks open a dusty door in the floor that I haven't noticed before, and a ladder protrudes from it. He beckons us forward, and we climb down into a dank-smelling, dimly lit stone chamber. Plutarch motions us to sit down, and we reluctantly do.

"Urgent news about the rebellion."

Artemis and I nod.

"Yeah?" I ask expectantly.

"Our intel forces have discovered what the next Quarter Quell will be. They'll be sending the Victors back into the arena."

Whoa. I mean, I guess I'd lightly considered that before, but….that will actually happen? This means I'll still be alive, and I'll have to go back to the arena, the place of blood and nightmares and…

"Okay, but how does that have anything to do with the rebellion?"

Plutarch pauses, either bracing himself or for dramatic effect.

"We're breaking the tributes out of the arena."

I gasp. "That hasn't been ever heard of…how is it…how will you…"

Me and Artemis attack him with a thousand questions until he puts his hand up to silence us.

"It's possible." He answers matter-of-factly.

"Then where will they go?" Artemis asks.

"The tributes? They will go to District Thirteen."

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**A/N: Oooooooh suspense! Hahah. No? Whatever. Okay, so remember the 50****th**** reviewer challenge I posted a few chapters back? Remember that! And no, I'm not bribing for reviews, I'm just rewarding you guys! See ya!**


	24. President Snow's Playground of Doom

**Chapter 27: President Snow's Playground of Doom**

**A/N: WE HAVE HIT 50 REVIEWS! ALLELUIA!**

**Unfortunately, we have a problem. The 50****th**** review was submitted by a guest, so I cannot PM the guest about the reward. The 49****th**** review was also submitted by a guest. So the author of the 48****th**** review, which was submitted by a user, will earn the reward.**

**AND, WITHOUT FURTHER ADUE, THE WINNER OF THE 50****TH**** REVIEW CHALLENGE IS….**

**COOKIE05!**

**Cookie, I will PM you tomorrow about your prize. Thank you thank you thank you!**

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I gasp, completely speechless. Artemis and I exchange a glance.

"District…13?" whispers Artemis. "But…how is…why…"

"District Thirteen is gone! How can we possibly move the tributes to a district that doesn't exist?" I spit out.

Plutarch grins. "Oh, it exists, alright. In fact, Thirteen is in its golden days right now."

"But how?" Artemis protests. "If Thirteen existed, then the Capitol would nuke them! And on TV the Capitol is constantly showing footage of the remains of Thirteen."

Plutarch says patiently, "Now do you really believe that footage is real? Do you believe anything the Capitol tells you?"

Artemis and I stop and think for a moment. Plutarch has a point. Do the things the Capitol tells us even have one smidge of truth in them?

"So," I begin slowly. "Thirteen is alive and well and living just like it was before?"

Plutarch shakes his head. "Not exactly. Yes, District Thirteen is alive and well, but they're living underground. Yet they have a large fleet of aircraft, a full army, up-to-date technology, and a steady supply of food. In my opinion, they're doing a lot better than the other Twelve Districts, not having to go to the Hunger Games and all."

District 13…existing? All along? I'll admit it, I admire 13 for pushing through all those tough times and finding a way to live underground.

"But the Capitol would have to have discovered them at some point."

Plutarch nods. "They have. They've known all along. But they don't lay a finger on Thirteen. Think about it. What was, or is, rather, District Thirteen's industry?"

I rack my brain. Back in school, they made us memorize all the industries. I mentally list them in order. Gems, masonry, technology, fishing, power, transportation, lumber, textiles, grain, livestock, agriculture, coal, graphite – _graphite_.

"Graphite, but why would – "

"Wrong," Plutarch interjects. "That's what the Capitol wants you to think. No, District Thirteen's industry is nuclear power. After the First Rebellion, the Capitol and Thirteen made an agreement to leave each other alone. Ever since, the Capitol has been petrified that they would get nuked."

There's a long pause while Artemis and I take it all in. So Thirteen still exists, thriving even. Yet why would they leave the other districts to suffer while they had all that power? Why did they abandon us?

I push my oncoming rage away and focus on the real issue."You said that we would break the tributes out of the arena during the Third Quarter Quell and send them to Thirteen. Why, and how?"

The faintest trace of a smile crosses Plutarch's lips. "Like I said, the Third Quarter Quell will have 24 of the Victors sent back into the Hunger Games. Here's the plan.

"The rebel strategy commission assumes that I will be able to work my way up to the position of Head Gamemaker in 25 years. If it works, I will be able to design the arena myself. Now, I'm sure you know that a force field surrounds every arena, right? Well, when I design the arena, I will make sure that there are some weak spots in the force field. In this arena, a strike of lightning will hit a tall tree every night. What we need to do is send the current of electricity from the lightning through a wire, attach it to a bow and arrow, and have someone shoot an arrow through one of the weak spots in the force field. This should blow up the arena. The Capitol cameras will no doubt black out the screen, so we'll take advantage of that by sending in hovercraft from Thirteen to pick up the remaining tributes and take them to Thirteen. That's when Thirteen will begin to use their nukes, and the Second Rebellion will begin."

The complexity of Plutarch's plan dawns upon me. To blow up an arena and rescue the tributes…how complicated will that be? I look into Plutarch's deep violet eyes, and somehow I know that he's telling the truth. How clever does a person have to be to come up with something like that?

I find myself searching for flaws in the plan, but there seems to be none. But wait…

"Plutarch, the plan is brilliant, but I really doubt that anyone would know how to connect a wire to a tree, send voltage through it, up a bow and arrow or knife, and blow up the arena," Artemis says, summing up my thoughts exactly.

Plutarch halts for a moment. "Well, we just need a nerdy Victor. I'm sure we could scrounge one up. We could just take a particularly intelligent tribute, probably from District Three, and maybe…tilt the odds in their favor. It could work, honestly, it could."

I nod slowly. He's right. It could work. The plan is so innovative that the Capitol could never follow it.

"How many people are in on this, Plutarch?" asks Artemis.

Plutarch does a quick count on his fingers. "Probably about a hundred per district. Five times as many in the Capitol. I know, it's not much, but remember, this will happen twenty-five years later."

Not much? If I counted right, that's almost 2,000 people who are part of the rebellion! Of course, it's nothing compared to the millions of people who live in Panem, but still…

"I think you two had best head back to your party. Your fans are probably getting pretty impatient."

I nod. "Yeah. Wait, how will we get back?"

I glance around the dark moldy room, and the only exit I can see is the long metal ladder.

Plutarch casually strides over to a seemingly empty corner of the room and swipes his finger across an area. Nothing happens at first, then suddenly the wall starts to revolve, light seeping out from the other side. Finally, the wall stops moving, and a small metallic room illuminating a yellow-ish color stands before us.

"Um…what just happened?" asks Artemis suspiciously.

"It's an elevator," replies Plutarch as if that was completely obvious. He leads us into the room, presses a button, and the doors slide closed. The elevator begins to move downwards.

"Duck!" yells Plutarch, who suddenly pushes us down. I feel a falling sensation, and that's when I realize that the floor of the elevator has opened up, and I am sliding rapidly down a metal chute. I resist the urge to scream, as I have absolutely no clue what's happening.

A thud vibrates through my body, and I land on a hard, red-glowing floor. I look up and notice guests mingling around, not taking any notice of me. Apparently the chute just dumped me back into my victory feast. "Artemis?" I call. "Plut-ARRGGGHHH!" A heavy weight is thrust upon my back, then suddenly tumbles off. I look to my side and find that Artemis lies on the floor beside me, rubbing her head, her dark red gown marred and torn slightly.

"That was fun," she comments nonchalantly. "So- LOOK OUT!" I instinctively dodge to the side and watch the plump form of Plutarch tumble onto the ground. He stands up as if nothing just happened, and he helps Artemis and I rise. Suddenly, the hole where the chute was closes up.

"So…what was that about?" I ask, wanting to know how we took a secret elevator, slid down a slide, and ended up here.

"Thank President Snow's security systems," Plutarch says. "The anatomy of his security defenses is a bit like a playground."

"Yeah, a playground of doom," Artemis mutters, still rubbing her head.

"Well, I think I should be going now," says Plutarch, glancing at his silver watch. "The Gamemakers are holding a secret strategy meeting at midnight, and it's eleven forty-five. They'll kill me if I tell anyone."

I snort. "Way to go, Mr. They'll-Kill-Me-If-I-Tell-Anyone."

Plutarch cocks his head. "What do you mean?"

"You just told us about the strategy meeting, and you said you couldn't tell anyone." explains Artemis.

Plutarch rolls his eyes, chuckling all the same. "Oh, shut up. I'll see you guys soon." He turns on his heel and hurries off. We stand there watching the clever young Gamemaker rush out of sight. I turn to Artemis. "So what do you think about this whole rebellion thing?" I ask Artemis. She slaps me so hard that my face vibrates, and I realize that I said that a bit too loudly.

"Not now!" she hisses. Artemis notices my pouty expression and smiles. "Come on, let's have some alone time together."

She takes my hand and drags me through the dancing crowd. I spot a cellist on one of the black floating cloud platforms, and my dinner threatens to come up. Aria…Bevel…Cedar…Sage…cellos…

Artemis turns around as I hesitate, watching me stare at the cello with some unexplained hatred. The idle female cellist glances down at me nervously, noticing the ferocity of my glare. I think that one event during the Hunger Games has turned me against all stringed instruments now…

"Come on," Artemis tugs me along and pulls me outside. We grasp each other's hands, and she leads me to a back alley behind the building. She wraps her arms around my neck and places her lips close to mine.

"So are you ready for some spontaneous kissing?" Artemis whispers. I stare into her silvery irises that reflect the moonlight so perfectly. No longer able to contain myself, I push her against the wall, smashing my lips against her mouth. I rest my hands on her waist. As she kisses me, it burns like fire. Not the fire of rage I felt in the arena, but a different sort of fire. I feel exhilarated, breathless, reckless. Warmth spreads through me. The only thing that exists is Artemis, her smooth, flowy hair, her warm lips, her muscular body close to mine –

I feel a jolt, and Artemis is yanked away from me. I jump away and look up, and Artemis is being lifted into the air, kicking and screaming. A four-pronged claw just like the one in the arena carries her up toward a large hovercraft looming overhead.

"HAYMITCH! HAYMITCH!" she screams. I scramble onto an air duct, trying to climb to the roof. With all my might, I climb as fast as I can, up windows and railings, not caring about the possibility of falling to my death. "ARTEMIS!"

By the time I pull myself onto the roof, Artemis has vanished into the hovercraft. "ARTEMIS!" I yell, louder than I ever have in my life. The claw descends again, this time toward me. I try to dodge it, but it swoops down and lifts me up as I flail around, trying to escape its grasp. The claw lifts me higher and higher, then I'm falling into blackness, and ink splatters the world. I black out.

(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_(_(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_(_(_)(

I open my eyes, moaning. Well, at least I try to moan. I glance down and notice that I am gagged, a cloth completely muffling my voice. I try to lift my arms, to stand up, but I am bound to a chair.

I look around. I am in a white hospital room, not unlike the one I was in after I won the Games. But the key difference is what lies in front of my eyes. Artemis is tied to a bed, naked, covered in a thin white sheet. "Haymitch…" she moans. I try to answer, and the gag stops me from saying anything.

"I don't think you can communicate with her right now."

He strides into the room, his emerald eyes gleaming with glee, a white rose still in his lapel. President Snow sits down in a chair next to Artemis' bed, a mere few feet away from me. A devilish smirk crosses his sharp-angled face. "Welcome, Mr. Abernathy, to one of my personal hovercraft. Do not fear; we have only brought you and your girlfriend in for some…questioning."

I fidget nervously. I don't like the way this sounds…

"Now, Mr. Abernathy, I will be asking Miss Falcon a few questions. Essential questions, I might add. If she answers honestly, she will be greatly rewarded. However, if she hides the truth…GUARDS!" He hollers. Three burly Peacekeepers rush in, followed by a grinning man in a doctor's suit. The doctor guy carries a syringe filled with an electric purple liquid.

Snow holds out his hand, and the doctor gives him the syringe. Snow holds it out for me to see, dangling it in front of my eyes.

"This," he says, "is Tracker Jacker venom. Completely harmless, unless injected into a person's bloodstream. Now you don't think that we'll actually use this on Miss Falcon, do you?"

Me and Artemis exchange a worried glance. What does he mean?

Snow continues. "Of course we won't, if Miss Falcon remains truthful. But should Miss Falcon prove dishonest, we will…reconsider our promise."

I struggle against my bonds, trying to understand. Tracker Jacker venom…

Snow gestures to a large computer screen with a pulsating squiggly line stretching across it. It emits a steady beeping sound continually.

"This, Mr. Abernathy, is Miss Falcon's heart rate. The amount of venom that affects Miss Falcon will, in turn, affect her heart rate. Should this wiggling line become flat…well, let's just hope that will not happen, shall we?"

"Now, wait just a minute…" Artemis begins to protest. "SILENCE!" Snow yells. Artemis recoils.

"Let us begin," says Snow quietly. I attempt to sit up, but my bonds restrain me. I want to scream, to pummel Snow to death, to get Artemis out of here.

Then I realize what is about to happen. Snow is going to torture information out of Artemis.

I struggle even harder. I scream through my gag, but Snow reaches over and slaps my cheek, causing me to shut up.

Snow turns to Artemis.

"Miss Falcon, there have been rumors circulating across the Capitol. Rumors of a…rebellion. Now can you tell us anything about that, Miss Falcon?"

"No," answers Artemis shakily. "I never heard anything about that."

"Doc, if you will, please."

The creepy doctor steps forward, beaming evilly at Artemis. I bang my head against my chair, trying to slip out of the restraints.

The doctor leans over Artemis.

He raises the syringe.


	25. Hope in the Stars

**Chapter 28: Hope in the Stars**

**A/N: I'm sorry, everyone, but I've changed my mind. This is the last chapter of this story. :'O**

**An epilogue and a cut scene will follow tomorrow, so keep your story alert on. Sorry for the sudden change of plan, but I feel like this story is coming to a close!**

**Thank you SO, SO much for all your support on my first fanfic! I am so glad for the positive feedback on this. I love you all, and the next update of **_**Tail of a Fox**_** is coming on Monday!**

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I rip a hole in my gag and bite it off.

"NOOO!" I yell. "DON'T DO IT! I'LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT, I SWEAR, JUST DON'T HURT HER!"

The doctor turns around, placing the syringe a foot away from Artemis's arm. He grins greedily. Then, with a long, painstaking move, he plunges the syringe into her arm.

I watch my girlfriend's now sheet-white face contort with pain. "STOP IT!" I cry. "STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HER! NO!"

Artemis slowly turns her head toward me, obviously using a ton of effort. Her silvery eyes, the ones I looked into while kissing her just a few hours ago, are clouded over and blurry.

"Haymitch, it's okay," she whispers wearily. "I can make it through this."

Tears pour out from my eyes while I nod slowly.

Snow smirks at me. "There, there, Mr. Abernathy. We will give her several more chances." He turns toward Artemis, cold hard determinedness crossing his face. "Now, Miss Falcon," Snow says slowly. "Have you or have you not heard of an oncoming rebellion of the districts?"

Artemis shakes her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "I know nothing!" she yells, her voice starting to become throatier.

Snow shakes his head. "Tut, tut. Doc, give Miss Falcon another piece of our mind."

I growl at him. "NO! YOU WILL NOT! YOU CAN'T HURT HER!"

Snow grins conspiratorially at the doctor. "We shall see about that. Doc?"

"NO!" I cry, attempting to thrash, to break free from my restraints.

I'm too late. The syringe is plunged into Artemis's arm once again. She screams. "NO! STOP IT! I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! STOP!"

She flails around and begins to mutter things. "Haymitch…don't…don't kill me…I thought you loved me…"

I gasp and realize what is happening. The hallucinations from the venom are beginning to kick in. And she is hallucinating that I'm the one killing her…

I won't take it. They can't torture my girlfriend.

With all the force I can muster, I rip my right arm from my restraint, then rip off the other one. I leap out of my leg restraints, and the fire of rage courses through my veins again.

I tackle the doctor to the ground. "GUARDS!" I hear someone yell. I punch the doctor, kick him, but he still keeps a firm grasp on the syringe. I punch his stomach, and his grip slackens. I grab the needle from him and press it into his heart, then back away.

The doctor flails around and screams while Peacekeepers lock me back into my restraints. I watch the doctor writhe in agony, wishing with all my heart that he would die, right here and right now.

Sure enough, he goes limp, and more Peacekeepers come in and drag him away, the syringe still buried in his chest.

Snow turns toward me, the most malicious glare I have ever seen plastered on his face. "I see how it's going to be, Mr. Abernathy. If you feel no need to respect the Capitol, then you shall feel on need to respect Miss Falcon any longer."

Before I can digest what exactly he is saying, he pulls a curved dagger from his coat and holds it up.

"You wouldn't dare," I growl at him.

The serpent is back again, suddenly, stalking toward Artemis, one of the only people who I truly love. "SNAKE!" I yell. "YOU TERRIBLE, TWISTED, SNAKE!"

He twists his long neck and grins again at me, holding the knife above her neck. She bangs her head against her bed, screaming.

"NO!NO!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Abernathy," he hisses mockingly. "This is what happens when you defy the Capitol."

The serpent positions the dagger directly above Artemis's heart.

"NO!"

He releases the dagger.

My vision clouds, my head starts to buzz. I am on fire again, the fire even more vicious, more powerful than it ever has been. I am invincible.

I break out of the restraints and leap onto Snow. He yells out, and I punch his face, craving to tear apart his dreams, to destroy his black soul. "GUARDS!" he hollers. I am pushed back, kicking and screaming. The monsters hold on to me, refusing to release me from their iron grip. "SHE'S DEAD!" I scream through my tears. "YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!"

The serpent smiles jubilantly. "Good day, Mr. Abernathy. We shall leave you to say your goodbyes. And I hope that you can find a more attractive _Capitol _woman to fulfill your romantic interests."

He stalks out of the room before I can pounce on him, along with the monster-Peacekeepers.

I rush over to Artemis's side, tracing my finger across her ice-cold cheek. "Artemis," I whisper, clutching her hand between both of mine.

"Haymitch," she whispers back, almost inaudibly.

I bury my face in her neck, violent sobs wracking my body. "Don't go," I plead. "Don't leave me here."

"Shh, shhh," Artemis whispers. "Haymitch, I love you, I want you to remember that. I'll love you no matter what, and we'll be back together soon."

I lift up my head, letting my tears fall freely. I kiss her gently. I whisper the words I've told her every night for three years, words that always concluded a night of kissing and laughing and pulling pranks on Rex.

"Goodnight, Artemis."

She smiles, her silver eyes clearing up again. "Goodnight, Haymitch."

She goes still.

I glance up at the large screen above me, and the beeping stops abruptly.

The green line measuring her heart rate goes flat.

I sob even harder, tears clogging my throat. I bury my face in her neck again. "Artemis," I whisper.

But no reply comes.

Because she is dead.

Artemis Falcon is dead.

I gaze at her beautiful face, and notice that a small smile still turns up the corners of her lips. I close her eyelids gently, brushing a piece of stray black hair behind her ear.

"Goodnight," I whisper. I kiss her one last time, feeling the fading warmth of her lips. I pull away, and she still smiles, and I know that her smile will remain there forever, both on her lips and in my heart.

**ONE WEEK LATER**

I sit next to her on the hilltop, gazing up at the stars. The sorrow about Artemis still looms above me, but I have found a new friend to talk to about it. Most things are better when you have a friend next to you, a shoulder to cry on.

"Effie?" I ask quietly.

The girl from my prep team turns her head toward me. "Yeah?"

"Have you ever lost a boyfriend before?"

Effie sighs and stares at the ground. She finally turns toward me, her bright blue eyes glistening with tears.

"Yeah. His name was Lahndon. We used to sneak out of the Capitol and camp out in the mountains. I loved him more than anything. But then…he was falsely accused of murder. They executed him a year ago, when we were only fifteen. Later the Capitol realized it wasn't him, but it was too late. I can never forgive them for that…"

Effie lets out a sob, and I wrap my arm around her shoulder, wondering how to comfort her, knowing that I can't.

Instead, I turn my head to the stars. That's when I notice something.

"Effie, look at the stars."

She lifts up her head and studies the sky.

"See that?" I ask.

"What?"

I point near the moon at a cluster of stars.

"There. See the girl with the bow and arrows?"

Effie looks up at me, evidently confused. "What do you mean?"

I sigh. "I know it sounds stupid, but…I've always imagined someone. Someone who could save Panem, someone who could save us from the Hunger Games."

Effie nods. "Go on."

"I don't know why, but I picture her as someone from the Seam. I dream about her sometimes. I dream that she's good at archery. She has a braid of black hair running down her back. She has a personality like mine, but she's more bold, more courageous. She leads the rebellion and saves us all. I even gave her a name. It's Katniss. And every night I see the stars form her shape in a constellation."

A long pause of silence overcomes us. I'm beginning to worry that Effie thinks I'm crazy.

"Yeah, I know, it's stupid. Just forget I ever said that."

Effie shakes her head. "I don't think it's stupid. In fact, I kind of like the idea. You never know, maybe that girl will come along someday and save us."

"Yeah," I reply. "Maybe."

And with that, we sit there for the rest of the warm night, staring at the constellations, at the girl who could bring us hope, the girl who I nick-named Katniss.

After all, if hope alone could bring a simple street boy out of the Hunger Games alive, then hope can bring that girl to us someday.

_THE END_


	26. Epilogue: Stuck With Each Other

**Epilogue: Stuck With Each Other**

**A/N: ****This is it! The epilogue! One more cut scene coming tomorrow. **

**And please note: I DO NOT SUPPORT HAYFFIE! I THINK IT'S JUST A SUITABLE ENDING TO THE STORY!**

**Okay, rant over. Enjoy the chapter!**

**30 YEARS LATER, 5 YEARS AFTER MOCKINGJAY**

I stand in front of the altar and watch in awe as she glides down the aisle, garbed in a flowy white gown.

I smile to myself. _You really outdid yourself, Haymitch, _I think. Who would've thought that the drunken mentor would've proposed to the annoying escort?

When the Capitol forced her to become perky and uptight in order to be an escort, she changed for the worse, and I had thought she would stay like that forever. Yet as I gaze into her deep sapphire eyes, I know that she's back like her old self again, comforting and humble. Without all that makeup caked on her face and those stupid wigs, her face is round and sweet, adorned with dark golden hair that flies in the breeze under her tiara.

Closer and closer, she walks toward me, beaming. I can't help but chuckle. It's been a long, long time since I've seen that genuine smile.

The crowd cheers when she steps up the altar and stands next to me, squeezing my hand. I wink at Katniss, the Maid of Honor, then Peeta, the Best Man.

As the plump little man marries us, I can barely focus on the vows, only on my fiancée, smiling wider with every second.

I'm spaced out when I realize that the time has come when I have to kiss her. So I pull her toward me and we kiss, and I have no trouble blocking out the sighing from the crowd.

"Haymitch Erik Abernathy and Effie Christine Trinket, I now pronounce you husband and wife!"

We process back down the aisle, and I'm grinning as I never have before. "That was fun," I whisper. She giggles. "Wow, you think?"

Of course, I can never love her like I did Artemis 30 years ago, and she can never love me like she did Lahndon, but we're stuck with each other. And that's the way it should be.


	27. The Epilogue of the Epilogue

**A Random Scene That I Wrote Just Because I Feel Like It**

**A/N: Hey there! So Sparkie926 sent me a PM about an awesome idea I could use for a cut scene. Well, I based this random scene on his/her idea. Thanks Sparkie!**

**1 Year before the 74****th**** Hunger Games.**

**Katniss's POV**

I pad through the humid forest, panting from exhaustion. Beads of sweat form across my brow, threatening to spill down my face at the slightest disturbance.

I jump as I feel something brush my shoulder. I string my bow and whirl around, only to find my annoying hunting partner laughing.

"Not funny Gale," I grumble, but I can barely keep from laughing myself. Gale's tread is so silent that he barely snaps a twig when hunting, and he loves to use that skill to his advantage by sneaking up on me.

"Oh, relax, Catnip. Just having a laugh. So remind me, why did you make me come with you on this six-mile journey to the lake?"

I roll my eyes. "Like I've explained to you five times before, we are going to the lake because the waterfowl there are easy pickings and we owe Greasy Sae because we haven't brought in waterfowl in like two months. And considering the fact that we're a team, you need to help me out."

Gale sighs. "Fine, _teammate_. Well, I guess there's no point in arguing because we're here."

I look up, and I realize that Gale's right for once. In front of us lies the glassy expanse of cool blue water, coursing gently up and down from some far-off river.

Gale nudges me. "Race you to that little house on the sand bar!" He dives into the water, spraying mist everywhere. I laugh. "Hey, no fair! You started without me!"

I jump in after him and paddle across the water toward the cottage on the sand bar, the place where I used to go with my dad all the time. I'm not that fast, probably deathly slow compared to the people living by the ocean, but I still can give Gale a run for his money. By the time we reach the sand bar, Gale is at least 5 yards away from me, struggling to keep up even though I already beat him.

"Haha, beat you!" I taunt jokingly.

Gale grins, and then wades the rest of the way. "Not bad for a girl, I guess," he grunts as he pulls himself up onto the sandbar.

"Yeah, a girl who trumps you at swimming and just about everything else! Come on, let's go to the cottage."

We trudge to the front step of the shabby little house, worn down by the swimming and hiking. The cottage is still in relatively good shape since we last left it a few months ago. Sure, there aren't any windows, and the inside is barren, and there's only one room, but it's certainly better than nothing.

"Hey Catnip, what's that?" I turn around, and Gale is gesturing to a small boulder.

"Hm, I don't know, perhaps it's called a rock?"

Gale shakes his head. "No, look closer."

I stoop down and stare at the rock, scanning it for whatever pointless thing Gale has discovered. I realize that words are roughly etched into it, and the words are divided into clumps. A poem.

I read it out loud.

"_The girl in the stars is far away, maybe a million miles,_

_But when she does her duty, the earth will gain a million smiles._

_A bow and arrow rests in her hands, poised, ready to shoot,_

_And when she shoots, all evil will turn into ash and soot._

_So when you hear her raise her voice,_

_Prepare for Panem to rebel and rejoice._

_-H.A. and E.T._

_In hope that the girl with the arrows will come to us someday and save us all._"

For a moment the two of us sit there and stare at it, trying to decode the meaning of this queer little poem.

"Who are H.A. and E.T.?" I ask.

"The people who wrote the poem," replies Gale.

"Well thank you, Captain Obvious."

Gale chuckles. "Girl with the arrows? Maybe that's you! Except I don't think Panem will rejoice when _you_ raise your voice."

I laugh at his incredibly stupid insult. "Yeah, so the crazy people who wrote this poem about a girl hunter who will save Panem are idiots."

That's when the most extravagant, outlandish, foolish though ever to be thought comes to my mind.

_What if the crazy people who wrote the poem are right?_

Nah. That would never be true.

In fact, maybe they're right. Maybe that girl they described will come to Panem someday and start a rebellion or something. But that girl could never be me.

Or could it?


End file.
